Effects of maternal stress on anxiety levels, macrophage activity, and Ehrlich tumor growth

The present study analyzed the effects of maternal stress on behavior and i mmune function of mice. Pregnant mice received a daily footshock (0.4 mA) f rom gestational day 15 (GD 15) to GD 19. Experiments were performed on male offspring aged 2 months. The following results were obtained for offspring from dams stressed during pregnancy: (1) decreased locomotor activity obse rved in the open-field central zone; (2) decreased number of entries into t he open arms of the plus-maze and decreased time spent in the exploration o f these arms; (3) decreased macrophage spreading and phagocytosis, but no c hanges in macrophage NO2- production, (4) increased growth of both the asci tic and solid forms of Ehrlich tumor. These changes were unrelated to diffe rences in gestational parameters and did not reflect altered maternal-pup i nteractions or nutritional factors. The observed data provide experimental evidence that maternal stress alters stress/anxiety levels, macrophage acti vity and Ehrlich tumor growth at the same time and in the same litter. The data were discussed in the light of possible neuroendocrine-immune system i nteractions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.