Age-related differentiations of Th1/Th2 cytokines in newborn infants.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate age-related differentiation of immune response in newborns by measuring serum concentrations of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) during the perinatal period.


METHODS
Fifty-seven healthy term neonates, their mothers and 25 healthy adults (controls) age-matched to the mothers were included in the study. Cytokine concentrations were measured in the umbilical cord (UC), and in first-day (1N) and fifth-day (5N) neonatal samples, compared with those in maternal serum (MS) and control serum samples.


RESULTS
Serum IL-2 concentrations in the UC were markedly elevated compared with those in MS and controls (p < 0.0001), decreasing significantly thereafter up to 5N (p < 0.001). IL-4 serum concentrations did not differ significantly between the UC, 1N and 5N samples; they were, however, markedly elevated compared with those in MS (p < 0.001, p < 0.0007 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and controls (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.006, respectively). IFN-gamma serum concentrations were significantly lower in the UC compared with those in controls (p < 0.04), increasing significantly up to 5N (p < 0.03). Both IFN-gamma/IL-2 and IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratios increased significantly in 5N, compared with those in the UC (p < 0.001 and p < 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate a differential cytokine balance at birth with enhanced expression of IL-2 and IL-4 against IFN-gamma. However, a regularization of immune response seems to proceed quickly during the early neonatal life.
Protonotariou
Efthimia
E
Hormonological Laboratory, University of Athens, Aretaieion University Hospital, Paleon Phaliro, Greece.
Malamitsi-Puchner
Ariadne
A
Rizos
Demetrios
D
Papagianni
Basiliki
B
Moira
Evangelia
E
Sarandakou
Angeliki
A
Botsis
Demetrios
D
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000254:growth & development; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma