… The ToxinSensor Chromogenic LAL Endotoxin Assay Kit (GenScript, Piscataway, NJ #L00350) was adapted to run samples on a 96-well plate by reducing sample and reagent volumes 10-fold The absorbance of the standards and samples was read at 545 nm (plate reader) …
Preterm birth (PTB) affects nearly 15 million infants each year. Of these PTBs, >25% are a result of inflammation or infection. Animal models have improved our understanding of the mechanisms leading to PTB. Prior work has described induction of intrauterine inflammation in mice with a single injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Herein, we have improved the reproducibility and potency of LPS in the model using two injections distal to the cervix. An in vivo imaging system revealed more uniform distribution of Evans Blue Dye using a double distal injection (DDI) approach compared with a single proximal injection (SPI). Endotoxin concentrations in vaginal lavage fluid from SPI dams were significantly higher tha... More