Conclusion
These results identify an informative time window during fetal development during which exposure to an otherwise pro-inflammatory agent like LPS protects against an inflammatory disease in adulthood.
Results
Mice that had been exposed to LPS but not saline in utero were protected from subsequent colitis development, and their intestinal barrier integrity and tight junction expression distribution were similar to that of control mice that were not exposed to DSS. By contrast, mice exposed to either LPS or saline at day 7 of life all developed severe colitis upon subsequent DSS exposure.