title: Influence of prenatal maternal stress on umbilical cord blood cytokine levels.
abstract: Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is known to influence fetal programming and development. Thus far, the effects of PNMS on the developing immune system have mainly been documented in animal studies. This study aimed to examine the association between PNMS and immune cytokine profiles in the umbilical cord blood of newborn human infants.
  
  
  
  PNMS, including perceived stress, numbers of stressful life events experiences (both partner and health related), and state and trait anxiety, was assessed with five questionnaires and interviews from 43 pregnant women during the second trimester. Seven key cytokines important for immune function, i.e., IL-12, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, were analyzed in cord blood by bead-based ELISA method (Luminex 200). Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations of PNMS scores and cytokine levels.
  
  
  
  Increased levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-8 were significantly associated with at least one of the maternal stress assessments, while the levels of IL-12 and TNF-α were not significantly associated with any of the PNMS measurements examined.
  
  
  
  These preliminary findings suggest that PNMS may influence cytokine levels in newborn infants, in particular Th2-related cytokines. This report supports previous findings in animal studies and could suggest that newborns born to mothers with elevated PNMS have a predisposition to immune-related disorders.
authors: Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.|Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia.|Department of Psychology, Queens College, the City University of New York (CUNY), Flushing, New York, USA.
authors: Niklas W
authors: NW
authors: Andersson
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Carrie W
authors: CW
authors: Mills
authors: Department of Psychology, Queens College, the City University of New York (CUNY), Flushing, New York, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Jenny
authors: J
authors: Ly
authors: Department of Psychology, Queens College, the City University of New York (CUNY), Flushing, New York, USA. yoko.nomura@qc.cuny.edu.|Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA. yoko.nomura@qc.cuny.edu.|The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY, USA. yoko.nomura@qc.cuny.edu.|Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. yoko.nomura@qc.cuny.edu.
authors: Yoko
authors: Y
authors: Nomura
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Jia
authors: J
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009519:New York City; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Cytokines; Depression and anxiety; Prenatal maternal stress; Prospective birth cohort outcomes; Stressful life events; Umbilical cord blood