title: Cytokine soluble receptors in perinatal and early neonatal life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In contrast to cellular receptors, soluble receptors do not enhance the cellular activation because they do not have transmembranic and cytoplasmic parts, acting thereby as endogenous regulatory mechanisms against systemic functions of cytokines.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure serum concentrations of the soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL2R), soluble interleukin-4 receptor (sIL4R), soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL6R), and soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor I and soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor II, during the perinatal and early neonatal period, in order to evaluate their role in activation of immune response in labor and the first days postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Soluble receptor serum concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in 45 healthy, full-termed neonates during the first and fifth days after birth, in 25 of their mothers (MS), in 25 samples of umbilical cords (UC) and in 25 healthy adult donors age-matched with the mothers (controls).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Soluble receptor serum concentrations showed considerable changes during labor and early neonatal life, being significantly higher both in MS (except sIL6R) and in neonatal sample UC, first and fifth days after birth, compared with controls (p<0.0001). Neonatal serum sIL2R and sIL6R increased significantly from birth to the fifth day, while the remaining receptors showed a rapid increase in the first day (p<0.0001), declining significantly thereafter (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the elevated concentrations of all studied soluble cytokine receptors reflect the activation of immune response, and represent also regulatory protective mechanisms for mother and fetus-neonate against the systemic function of cytokines during labor and early neonatal life.
authors.affiliation: Hormone Laboratory, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efthimia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Protonotariou
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malamitsi-Puchner
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moira
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarandakou
authors.forename: Emmanuil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salamalekis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000097:blood*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D018121:Receptors, Cytokine