Deficient Tumor Necrosis Factor Secretion by Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells UponIn VitroStimulation withListeria monocytogenes

Abstract

We examined the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by mononuclear cells (MNC) after incubating adult or cord blood MNC with Listeria monocytogenes in vitro. With adult MNC cultures, we found that TNF activity reached a peak at 6 h (606 +/- 120 x 10(3) units/liter) and declined to the baseline by day 3. In contrast, using cord blood MNC, we found that TNF activity increased gradually reaching a peak at 24 h. In addition, the peak TNF activity using newborn MNC (189 +/- 26 x 10(3) U/liter) at 24 h was still lower than the peak using adult MNC at 6 h (p < 0.0002). In seeking an explanation for the decreased TNF secretion from newborn MNC, we examined the possibility that newborn cells produce TNF but failed to secrete it. However, lysates of newborn cells contained functionally and antigenically less TNF than adult cells. Based on these observations, we conclude that the overall TNF production by newborn cells incubated with L monocytogenes is decreased compared with similarly stimulated adult cells.

Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and IL-10 Production by Lung Macrophages from Preterm and Term Neonates

“…This approach resembles published assays for cytokine production by cord blood monocytes (LM precursors). However, contrary to cord blood studies that found TNF-␣ to be developmentally regulated (11,12,21,22), our data show that LM activation induced a nearly identical magnitude of TNF-␣ in the preterm versus term groups (Fig. 4A).…”

Contemporaneous maturation of immunologic and respiratory functions during early childhood: Implications for development of asthma prevention strategies

“…Cord blood monocytes show impaired chemotaxis and capacity to synthesize TNF-a but normal phagocytosis compared with that seen in adult monocytes. 41,42 DCs in the normal placenta preferentially induce T H 2 differentiation by naive T cells, 43 although it is not clear whether the influence of placental DCs persists into postnatal life. At birth, there is a modest reduction in circulating DC numbers relative to that seen in adults, 44 with many neonatal DCs appearing relatively immature, with lower levels of intercellular adhesion molecule 1, class I MHC, and II MHC expression.…”

The development of the immune system during pregnancy and early life

“…Term cord-blood monocytes have decreased production of a number of cytokines, including TNF-a (20), in comparison to the adult. Although cord-blood mononuclear cells can phagocytose at a level comparable to the adult, chemotaxis is reduced (21).…”