158. Prenatal depressive symptoms, oxytocin and birth-weight in Urban African American women L. Garfield a , C. Giurgescu b , R. White-Traut a , C. Carter c , D. Holditch-Davis d , B.L. McFarlin a , J.S. Seng e , D. Schwertz a a University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing, Women, Children, and Family Health Sciences, 845 South Damen Ave, Rm 839, Chicago, IL 60612, USA b Wayne State University, USA c University of North Carolina, USA d Duke University, USA e University of Michigan, USA Low-income African American women (AAW) report elevated prenatal depressive symptoms more often (42%) than the national average (20%). In the USA in 2012, 13% of AAW had low-birth-weight infants (<2500 grams) compared to 7% of white women. Variation in the neuropeptide oxytocin is implicated in perinatal depression, maternal behavior, stress and inflammatory responses, and poten- tially associated with this health disparity. The purpose of this inves- tigation was to examine factors associated with prenatal depressive symptoms including oxytocin and birth weight in urban AAW. Preg- nant AAW (N = 57) completed surveys, blood draws (second and third trimester), and birth data were collected. A large number of participants reported elevated prenatal depressive symptoms in the second (n = 20,35%) and third (n = 19,33%) trimester. Depressive symptoms were higher in multigravidas (t (51) = À2.374, p = .02), women with higher anxiety (r (47) = 0.71, p = .001), earlier gesta- tional births (r (51) = À.285, p = .04), and those without support of the offspring’s father (F (4,48) = 2.676, p = .04). Depressive symp- toms were also higher in women with low oxytocin compared to women with high oxytocin (F (2,47) = 3.3, p = .05). Additionally, women with low oxytocin tended to have infants with lower birth-weights (F (2,47) = 2.9, p = .06). These results demonstrate that multigravida AAW with increased anxiety and lacking the father’s support were at higher risk for prenatal depressive symptoms. More- over, prenatal depressive symptoms were associated with lower oxytocin and earlier gestational birth. Further research is needed to clarify pathways linking prenatal depressive symptoms to altered oxytocin levels and poor infant outcomes. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2014.06.178 159. Modulation of mucosal immunity by the enteric nervous system F.A. Costa-Pinto a,b , L. Feighery b , I. Gabanyi a,b , D. Mucida b a University of Sao Paulo, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Department of Pathology, Sao Paulo, SP 05596-100, Brazil b The Rockefeller University, USA Nowhere is the balance between protective inflammation against pathogens and tolerance towards innocuous substances more chal- lenging than at the intestinal. Apart from containing the largest lym- phoid organ in the body, the intestine is seen as ‘‘a second brain’’, with as many neurons as the spinal cord. Our preliminary character- ization shows antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in close proximity to neuronal processes in the intestine. These processes extend towards myenteric plexi, where they are contact a previously unappreciated population of APCs. These cells quickly responds to inflammatory stimuli from mucosal pathogens, before bacteria is detected deeper in the intestine. This data suggests that intestinal neurons convey inflammatory signals received at the mucosal surface, preparing the intestinal tissue for a response. We then characterized the behavior and movement of intestinal APCs using intravital multipho- ton using fluorescent reporters for enteric neurons and cells of the immune system, in the serosa in steady state, and following non- invasive bacterial challenge in the mucosa. While APCs in the mucosa move in steady state this is not true for serosal APCs. None- theless, following challenge in the mucosa, serosal APCs extend den- drites within minutes. This signaling is prevented by pretreatment with tetrodotoxin. Longitudinal signaling is seen between mucosal APCs to serosal cells in a distant (>5 cm) segment. We believe this represents a short loop for controlling and synchronizing responses along the intestine during pathogenic challenge. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2014.06.179 160. Prebiotic-associated changes in gut microbiota affect the stress-induced inflammatory response M.M. Paton, L. Beninson, M. Chichlowski, A. Mika, D. Borchert, K. Hulen, B.M. Berg, M. Fleshner University of Colorado at Boulder, 1725 Pleasant St., Boulder, CO 80309, USA Stressor exposure increases inflammatory (CINC-1. IL1b, IL6, IL10) and stress (Hsp72) proteins in the absence of a foreign antigen. Recent evidence suggests that compromise of intestinal barrier integrity and increased translocation of bacteria from the intestinal lumen may contribute to these effects. Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are commensal bacteria found in the gut and are associated with improved intestinal epithelial integrity and attenuated bacterial translocation following stress. Prebiotics, a form of non-digestible dietary fiber, can promote the growth of select beneficial bacteria in the gut. We therefore hypothesized that two prebiotics, Galactool- igosaccharides (GOS) and Polydextrose (PDX), would increase Bifido- bacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. and reduce the impact of stress on inflammatory and stress proteins. Juvenile Fisher rats (PND 24, 8/ grp) were fed a diet containing GOS/PDX for 4 weeks and exposed to inescapable tail shock stress (100 1.5 mA tail shocks) or remained in their home cages. Mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, adipose and plasma were immediately collected after IS. Fecal samples were col- lected on the fourth week prior to stress, and plated on media selec- tive for Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. Diets containing GOS/PDX increased Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp., reduced stress-induced Hsp72 responses, and had little effect on the inflammatory protein response. These data suggest that GOS/ PDX alters aspects of the stress response perhaps by modulating the gut microbiota. Supported by Mead Johnson Pediatric Nutrition Institute. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2014.06.180 161. Effects of MAGL inhibition and the CB1 and CB2 cannabi- noids receptors participation in the neutrophils recruitment and activity in a murine model of acute lung injury induced by LPS C. Costola-de-Souza a , A.S. Calefi a , L.B. Vitoretti b , J.A. Gimenes- Júnior b , F.R. Greiffo c , V. Ferraz-de-Paula a , A. Ribeiro a , A.P. Ligeiro- Oliveira c , J. Palermo-Neto a a Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil b Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil c Nove de Julho University, São Paulo, Brazil e46 Abstracts from the 21st Annual PNIRS Meeting 40 (2014) e1–e52