Inflammatory profiles in the non-pregnant state predict offspring birth weight at Cebu: evidence for inter-generational effects of low grade inflammation.
BACKGROUND
Although maternal infection and inflammation during pregnancy can adversely affect offspring birth weight (BW), whether low grade inflammation in the non-pregnant state predicts BW is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate relationships between offspring BW and pro- and anti-inflammatory factors measured in parous but non-pregnant women.


METHODS
Data come from 234 parous Filipino females (21.5 ± 0.3 years) in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, a population-based birth cohort in Metropolitan Cebu, Philippines. Pro-inflammatory [Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), C-reactive protein (CRP)] and anti-inflammatory [Interleukin-10 (IL-10)] factors were measured in fasting plasma when the women were not pregnant, and related to recalled offspring BW.


RESULTS
BW in female offspring was lower only among women with high IL-1β. Although pro-inflammatory cytokines did not predict BW in male offspring, women with higher anti-inflammatory IL-10 gave birth to larger males. Women with a combination of low inflammatory (IL-6) and high anti-inflammatory (IL-10) factors (interaction p < 0.104) gave birth to the largest males.


CONCLUSIONS
Immune factors measured outside of pregnancy predict offspring BW in these young women. Stable variation in inflammatory phenotype could impact the gestational environment of offspring, thus pointing to potential inter-generational effects of chronic low-grade inflammation.
Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. kuzawa@northwestern.edu
Christopher W
CW
Kuzawa
Paula S
PS
Tallman
Linda S
LS
Adair
Nanette
N
Lee
Thomas W
TW
McDade
D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D010679:Philippines; D011247:Pregnancy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10