Single-cell RNA-Seq of premature Rhesus macaques lungs with intra-uterine inflammation and therapuetic blockade

Intrauterine inflammation/infection (IUI), which is present in up to 40% of premature births, leads to elevated levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and microbial products within the amniotic fluid, which come in close contact to fetal mucosae. Yet, knowledge on the fetal mucosal responses to IUI exposure remains limited. To address these questions, we used a non-human primate model of IUI, in which pregnant Rhesus macaques received intra-amniotic (IA) LPS, compared with saline IA. We found that IA LPS exposure induced a robust and rapid inflammation of the fetal lung. Single-cell RNA-Seq was performed in the premature Rhesus macaques lung in the presence and absence of LPS. Therapuetic intervention was tested in LPS animals with IL-1R, TNF-alpha or combination blockade.