RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Gao, Shu-xian A1 Sun, Jing A1 Li, Hui-hui A1 Chen, Jie A1 Kashif, Mohsin Raza A1 Zhou, Ping A1 Wei, Li A1 Zheng, Qing-wei A1 Wu, Li-gao A1 Guan, Jun-changYR 2020 T1 Prenatal exposure of staphylococcal enterotoxin B attenuates the development and function of blood regulatory T cells to repeated staphylococcal enterotoxin B exposure in adult offspring rats JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 69 IS 4 SP 591 OP 599 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001152 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB Introduction. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is an extensively studied super-antigen. A previous study by us suggested that SEB exposure during pregnancy could alter the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood of neonatal offspring rats. Aim. It is unknown whether SEB exposure during pregnancy can influence the development of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the peripheral blood of neonatal offspring rats. Methodology. Pregnant rats at gestational day 16 were intravenously injected with 15 µg SEB. Peripheral blood was acquired from neonatal offspring rats on days 1, 3 and 5 after delivery and from adult offspring rats for determination of Treg number by cytometry, cytokines by ELISA, and FoxP3 expression by real-time PCR and western blot. Results. SEB given to pregnant rats significantly increased the absolute number of Tregs and the expression levels of FoxP3, IL-10 and TGF-β (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the peripheral blood of not only neonatal but also adult offspring rats. Furthermore, repeated SEB exposure in adult offspring rats significantly decreased the absolute number of Tregs (P<0.01), and the expression levels of FoxP3, IL-10 and TGF-β (P<0.05, P<0.01) in their peripheral blood. Conclusion. Prenatal SEB exposure attenuates the development and function of Tregs to repeated SEB exposure in the peripheral blood of adult offspring rats., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.001152