Nature Communications (Feb 2021)
Maternal aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation protects newborns against necrotizing enterocolitis
Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disease of prematurity requiring Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation on the gut epithelium. Here the authors show that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) mediates NEC pathogenesis via effects on TLR4, and that supplementing the diet with AHR ligands during pregnancy or postnatally prevents NEC.