title: T cell activation in abnormal perinatal events.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the percentage of CD45RO(+) T cells in umbilical cord blood from neonates born at less than 37 weeks of gestation. Fifty-nine patients were enrolled in this study, including 49 with preterm and 10 with term deliveries. Preterm deliveries were divided into two categories; spontaneous (Group A, n= 31) and indicated (Group B, n= 18). Perinatal infection was categorized as C-CAM, H-CAM and neonatal infection. The percentage of CD45RO(+) T cells in the umbilical cord was assessed using flow cytometry. IL-6 was measured using ELISA. In Group A, the percentage of CD45RO(+) T cells and concentrations of IL-6 in patients with perinatal infection (n= 18) were significantly higher than in those without perinatal infection (n= 13). A significant correlation between percentage of CD45RO(+) T cells and IL-6 concentrations was observed in the cord blood (r= 0.62, P= 0.001). In Group B, pink-tinged amniotic fluid was observed in seven cases. In these cases, an increase in the percentage of CD45RO(+) T cells (>10%) was noted. In the cases without perinatal infection, which included all those delivered at term (n= 32), no correlation was observed between the percentage of CD45RO(+) T cells and gestational age at delivery (r=-0.139, P= 0.448). We concluded that a high percentage of CD45RO(+) cord blood T cells is observed not only in perinatal infection, but also in the presence of abnormal perinatal events such as maternal bleeding in preterm gestation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. ym0709@obgy.twmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Hidehito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Ken'ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitani
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens