Signals leading to the activation of NF-kappa B transcription factor are stronger in neonatal than adult T lymphocytes.
The molecular background of the defects in the immune reactivity of human neonates has not been fully elucidated. As the NF-kappa B transcription factor has a central role in the control of transcription of several genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses, the authors have analysed the activation of NF-kappa B in human umbilical cord T lymphocytes. The activity was tested by quantitating the nuclear proteins binding to an oligonucleotide containing the consensus kappa B binding sequence (electrophoretic mobility shift assay). The data obtained demonstrate that phorbol dibutyrate/calcium ionophore A23187 (PDBu/iono) combination induced a clearly higher nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B in neonatal than adult T cells. This higher NF-kappa B activity was restricted to the CD4+ T-cell subset. Analysis of the nuclear extracts with antibodies directed against the major components of NF-kappa B the p50 and RelA (p65) proteins, indicated that the composition of NF-kappa B was similar in neonatal and adult cells. These results suggest that neonatal T cells are exposed to oxidative stress-inducing signals during delivery and/or are inherently more sensitive to NF-kappa B activating signals than adult T cells.
Kilpinen
S
S
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Tampere Medical School, Finland.
Henttinen
T
T
Lahdenpohja
N
N
Hulkkonen
J
J
Hurme
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000276:immunology*
D016328:NF-kappa B