title: Presence of IL-9 in paired samples of human colostrum and transitional milk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human colostrum and breast milk are known to contain high levels of cytokines, cytokine receptors, and chemokines.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence and compare levels of soluble cytokines in paired samples of human colostrum and milk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of 27 cytokines were measured in 9 paired samples of human colostrum (day 2 after delivery) and breast milk (day 4 or 5 after delivery) by using multiplex technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of cytokines and chemokines investigated have been previously described in colostrum and/or breast milk. For the first time, we describe the presence of IL-9 in both human colostrum and milk. Of the 27 cytokines investigated, only IL-5 was absent in both colostrum and milk, whereas IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-15, IL-17, and MIP-1α were present in colostrum, but not in breast milk. In general, colostrum contained higher concentrations of cytokines with respect to human milk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm and expand previous studies showing that human colostrum and breast milk are rich in cytokines and chemokines, including IL-9, which might contribute to the development of the immune system of the newborn.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. marcuzzi@burlo.trieste.it
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcuzzi
authors.forename: Liza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vecchi Brumatti
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Copertino
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davanzo
authors.forename: Oriano
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Radillo
authors.forename: Manola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Comar
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monasta
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000032:analysis*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016906:Interleukin-9