본 연구는 조산으로 인한 뇌성마비의 예방과 조기 물리치료의 근거를 제공하고자, 임신 중 모체감염이 된 시기에 따른 어린쥐의 출생률과 사망률, IL-1과 IL-6의 발현과 뇌조직, 혈액학적 조성을 살펴보았다. 실험동물은 대조군, 임신 10일째 E.coli 투여군(실험 1군), 임신 17일째 E.coli 투여군(실험 2군)으로 분류하여 대장균 0.2 CC를 복강 내에 주사하였다. 각 실험군에서 출생한 어린쥐는 생후 7일째군과 14일째군으로 분류하여 혈액 및 조직면역화학적 실험을 실시하였다. 어린쥐의 출생률과 출생후 생존률은 대조군에 비해 실험 1군과 실험 2군 사이에 유의하게 감소하였다(p<.05). 특히 실험 2군에서 유의하게 감소되었다. 면역조직화학법을 실시한 결과 실험 1군에서 IL-1의 발현정도는 임신말기로 갈수록 감소하였고 IL-6의 발현정도는 실험2군에서 임신말기로 갈수록 증가하였다. 그러나 출생 후 시간이 지날수록 실험 1군과 2군 모두에서 IL-1의 발현정도는 감소하였고, IL-6의 발현정도는 증가하였다. 어린쥐의 뇌 손상으로 신경세포의 형태변화와 핵의 융해가 나타났으며 뇌혈관 주변에 백혈구 과다출현이 나타났다. 혈액분석에서 실험 1군과 2군의 어미쥐의 백혈구와 혈소판 수가 감소되었다. 이상의 결과에서 임신말기의 모체 감염은 태아에게 치명적으로 작용할 수 있으며 조산이나 사산을 유발시킬 수 있으므로 모체 감염에 대한 주의가 요구된다.

The purpose of this study was to investigate infection of mother``s body is a cause of premature birth. The objective of this study is to provide the ground for the prevention of and the early physical therapy for the cerebral palsy which is caused by premature birth, by elucidating some mechanism of premature birth. For this purpose were investigated the birth rate and mortality, the IL-1 and IL-6 expression, the brain tissue and the blood composition of the young mice which were born of the mice infected during pregnancy. The mice used for experiment were classified into a group into which Eschericha coli was infected on the 10th day of pregnancy (experimental Group 1, N=4) and another group into which E. coli was infected on the 17th day of pregnancy (experimental Group 2, N=4); infection was carried out by injecting 0.2 CC (2×107 cfu) of E. coli into the abdominal cavity. The newborn mice in each experimental group were classified into a group whose age is 7 days and another group whose age is 14 days; their blood were examined and immunohistochemical experiment was carried out. The results of this study were presented as follows: (1) The birth rate and mortality of the newborn mice of experimental Group 1 and experimental Group 2 significantly decreased compared to those of nornal group (p<.05). Especially Group 2 significantly decreased (2) Blood analysis showed that the number of white blood cells and thrombocytes of mother mice significantly decreased. In case of newborn mice of experimental Group 1, the number of white blood cells increased but that of red blood cells and thrombocytes decreased. In case of newborn mice of experimental Group 2, the number of white blood cells decreased but that of red blood cells and thrombocytes increased (p<.05). (3) In immunohistochemical experiment, experimental Group 1 showed increase in IL-1 and IL-6 as time went on during the pregnant period. Experimental Group 2 showed decrease in IL-1 during the period from the 7th day to the 14th day; while, there was a change in the expression of IL-6 at both 7th day and the 14th day (p<.05). The brain damage of the newborn mice caused a change in the shape of neurons and the dissolution of nucleus (p<.05). Notably, excess number of white blood cells were observed around the cerebral blood vessels. The results above are strong evidence for the fact that infection of last gestation of mother``s body by E. coli can cause a premature birth or a stillbirth.