# Impact of Maternal Inflammation and Cell Trafficking on Fetal Immune Ontogeny

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2024 · $678,065

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
These investigations explore the hypothesis that maternal inflammation due to acute or chronic virus infection
during pregnancy has a durable impact on the development of the fetal immune system, which is mediated by
changes in placental function and transplacental transfer of metabolites and inflammatory mediators to the
fetus. Our studies have shown that subclinical rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) infection during pregnancy is
associated with dramatic alterations of immune function in offspring—demonstrating a vertical effect of
maternal inflammation on immune system development. Our prior studies have also demonstrated a fetal
response that impacts how microglial cells, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, engage
and engulf neural precursor cells. These investigations will probe the link between maternal, placental, and
fetal inflammation in a translational primate model system that closely recapitulates human development and
disease, and using state-of-the-art tools and technologies through the following Specific Aims: (1) Determine
the impact of acute maternal RhCMV infection and consequent inflammation on fetal innate and adaptive
immune functions, in seronegative and seropositive dams; (2) Assess the impact of acute and chronic RhCMV
infection on the placenta and maternal-fetal cell trafficking; and (3) Test the postnatal consequences of fetal
immune development in the context of maternal infection with RhCMV and associated inflammation. The
studies proposed are designed to test the hypothesis that maternal, placental, and fetal immune responses
contribute to developmental sequelae including alterations in postnatal immunity, providing key insights on a
common worldwide maternal and congenital infection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10882107
- **Project number:** 1R01HD107737-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** DENNIS J. HARTIGAN-O'CONNOR
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $678,065
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-05-06 → 2029-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10882107

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10882107, Impact of Maternal Inflammation and Cell Trafficking on Fetal Immune Ontogeny (1R01HD107737-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10882107. Licensed CC0.

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