Staphylococcal enterotoxin B administration in pregnant rats alters the splenic lymphocyte response in adult offspring rats

BACKGROUND: Our previous study suggested that SEB exposure in pregnant rats could lead to the change of T cells subpopulation in both peripheral blood and thymus of the offspring rats. However, rarely is known about the influence of SEB exposure in pregnant rats on T cell subpopulation in the spleens of offspring rats. RESULTS: SEB was intravenously administered to the pregnant rats at gestational day 16 in this study. The percentages, in vivo and in vitro responses of CD4 and CD8 T cells were investigated with flow cytometry. The prenatal SEB exposure obviously increased splenic CD4 T cell percentages of both neonates and adult offspring rats, and obviously reduced splenic CD8 T cell percentages of both the fifth day neonates and adult offspring rats. After spleens in the adult offspring rats were re-stimulated with SEB in vivo or in vitro, in vivo SEB stimulation could lead to the marked decrease of splenic CD4 T cell percentage and the marked increase of splenic CD8 T cell percentage. While in vitro SEB stimulation to the cultured splenocytes markedly decreased the proliferation of the splenic lymphocytes and the CD4 T cell percentage, and had no influence on CD8 T cell percentage. CONCLUSION: The prenatal SEB exposure could alter the percentages of CD4/CD8 T cell subpopulation and the response of CD4 and CD8 T cells to the in vivo and in vitro secondary SEB stimulation in the splenocytes of adult offspring rats.