Developmental 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin exposure of either parent enhances the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonatal mice.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a rare, but potentially fatal intestinal inflammatory condition most often arising in premature infants. Infants provided formula are also at greater risk of developing this disease. Although the majority of formula-fed, preterm infants do not develop NEC, up to 30% of infants with the disease do not survive. Thus, identifying additional, currently unrecognized factors, which may predispose a specific infant to NEC development would be a significant clinical advancement. In this regard, we have previously reported that offspring of female or male mice with a history of developmental exposure to the environmental toxicant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exhibit altered sensitivity to inflammatory challenges and are frequently born premature. Herein, we examined the possibility that, compared to unexposed mice (F1 ), developmental TCDD exposure of either parent (maternal, F1M , or paternal, F1P ) would enhance the risk of NEC in offspring (F2 mice) in association with supplemental formula feeding.