title: M-ficolin concentrations in cord blood are related to circulating phagocytes and to early-onset sepsis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pattern-recognition molecule M-ficolin is synthesized by monocytes and neutrophils. M-ficolin activates the complement system in a manner similar to mannan-binding lectin (MBL), but little is known about its role in host defense. Neonates are highly vulnerable to bacterial sepsis, in particular, due to their decreased phagocytic function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  M-ficolin cord blood concentration was positively correlated with the absolute phagocyte count (ρ 0.51, P < 0.001) and with immature/total neutrophil ratio (ρ 0.34, P < 0.001). When comparing infants with sepsis and controls, a high M-ficolin cord blood concentration (>1,000 ng/ml) was associated with early-onset sepsis (EOS) (multivariate odds ratio 10.92, 95% confidence interval 2.21-54.02, P = 0.003). Experimental exposure of phagocytes isolated from adult donors to Escherichia coli resulted in a significant time- and dose-dependent release of M-ficolin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, M-ficolin concentrations were related to circulating phagocytes and EOS. Our results indicate that bacterial sepsis can trigger M-ficolin release by phagocytes. Future studies should investigate whether M-ficolin may be used as a marker of neutrophil activation during invasive infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated M-ficolin in 47 infants with culture-positive sepsis during the first 30 days of life (13 with EOS and in 94 matched controls. M-ficolin was measured in cord blood using time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TRIFMA). Multivariate logistic regression was performed.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Critical Care Research Group, Mater Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. luregn.schlapbach@mater.org.au
authors.forename: Luregn J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Schlapbach
authors.forename: Troels R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Kjaer
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: Maika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattmann
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelle
authors.forename: Bendicht P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Roland A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ammann
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aebi
authors.forename: Jens C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jensenius
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D000097604:Ficolins
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D000097604:Ficolins