title: Dendritic cells change IL-27 production pattern during childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin-27 (IL-27) has been described to be highly expressed during the very first days after birth, but secretion of IL-27 by dendritic cells during the course of childhood has not been described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our present study we enrolled children (n = 55) in the range from 1 day of to 18 years of age and asked for a small whole blood sample. The capacity of dendritic cells to produce IL-27 during childhood was measured after whole blood culture with or without inflammatory stimuli. Results support recent findings of high IL-27 levels after birth and lowest levels in adults. Interestingly, we detected an interim peak production level at early adolescence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data hint to prominent roles of IL-27 at the very start of post-natal life. Furthermore, a link has been given to so far not described immunological events during puberty.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Immunology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 63, 55131, Mainz, Germany. meyer@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Claudius U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Immunology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 63, 55131, Mainz, Germany. juliatar@students.uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birkholz
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Immunology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 63, 55131, Mainz, Germany. nadineweins@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weins
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Immunology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 63, 55131, Mainz, Germany. doganci@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Aysefa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doganci
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Immunology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 63, 55131, Mainz, Germany. stephan.gehring@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gehring
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Immunology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 63, 55131, Mainz, Germany. zepp@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zepp
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of the Dr. Horst-Schmidt-Kliniken, Wiesbaden, Germany. markus.knuf@hsk-wiesbaden.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knuf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D011627:Puberty / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C464565:MYDGF protein, human; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011070:Poly I-C