Neonatal lipopolysaccharide exposure gender-dependently increases heart susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion injury in male rats

Adverse stress exposure during the early neonatal period has been shown to cause aberrant development, resulting in an increased risk of adult disease. We tested the hypothesis that neonatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) does not alter heart function at rest condition but causes heart dysfunction under stress stimulation later in life.