Inflammatory chemokine expression in the peripheral blood of neonates with perinatal asphyxia and perinatal or nosocomial infections.
OBJECTIVE
The inflammatory response induced by perinatal infections and asphyxia is considered to participate in neonatal brain damage. Inflammatory responses are characterized by the expression of chemokines. Although chemokine levels have been investigated in healthy newborns, their role during neonatal pathological conditions has not been studied. The aim of our study was to examine chemokine serum levels in asphyxiated and infected neonates.


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples were obtained from perinatally asphyxiated and infected neonates during the first days of life and from neonates who developed nosocomial infections. Serum levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha), and regulated upon activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) were determined.


RESULTS
In perinatally asphyxiated neonates, IL-8 levels were significantly elevated on the 1st day of life. In perinatally infected neonates, IL-8 and IP-10 levels were significantly increased on the 1st day of life, while RANTES levels were significantly lower and remained so until the 4th day. In nosocomially infected neonates, IL-8, IP-10 and MIP-1alpha levels were significantly increased on diagnosis of infection.


CONCLUSIONS
The neonatal immune system is able to produce chemokines for the induction of an inflammatory response during perinatal asphyxia and perinatal or nosocomial infections. Blockade of inflammatory chemokines could possibly contribute to the prevention of brain damage.
Fotopoulos
Spyros
S
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit B, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Mouchtouri
Alexia
A
Xanthou
Georgina
G
Lipsou
Niki
N
Petrakou
Eftichia
E
Xanthou
Marietta
M
D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000097:blood*; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000097:blood
C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D018925:Chemokines; D016209:Interleukin-8; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins