Immunization with anti-Tn immunogen in maternal rats protects against hyperoxia-induced kidney injury in newborn offspring

Background: Neonatal hyperoxia increases oxidative stress and adversely disturbs glomerular and tubular maturity. Maternal Tn immunization induces anti-Tn antibody titer and attenuates hyperoxia-induced lung injury in neonatal rats. Methods: We intraperitoneally immunized female Sprague–Dawley rats (6 weeks old) with Tn immunogen (50 μg/dose) or carrier protein five times at biweekly intervals on 8, 6, 4, 2, and 0 weeks before the delivery day. The pups were reared for 2 weeks in either room air (RA) or in 85% oxygen-enriched atmosphere (O₂), thus generating four study groups, namely carrier protein + RA, Tn vaccine + RA, carrier protein + O₂, and Tn vaccine + O₂. On postnatal day 14, the kidneys were harvested for the oxidative stress marker 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and collagen expression and histological analyses. Results: Hyperoxia reduced body weight, induced tubular and glomerular injuries, and increased 8-OHdG and NF-κB expression and collagen deposition in the kidneys. By contrast, maternal Tn immunization reduced kidney injury and collagen deposition in neonatal rats. Furthermore, kidney injury attenuation was accompanied by a reduction in 8-OHdG and NF-κB expression. Conclusion: Maternal Tn immunization protects against hyperoxia-induced kidney injury in neonatal rats by attenuating oxidative stress and NF-κB activity. Impact: Hyperoxia increased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity and collagen deposition in neonatal rat kidney.Maternal Tn immunization reduced kidney injury as well as collagen deposition in neonatal rats.Maternal Tn immunization reduced kidney injury and was associated with a reduction in 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and NF-κB activity.Tn vaccine can be a promising treatment modality against hyperoxia-induced kidney injury in neonates.