Increased cord serum inflammatory markers in small-for-gestational-age neonates

Abstract

Objective: The pathological picture in ischemic tissue injury shares features with the inflammatory response. Hypoxia-mediated induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) could set in motion the mechanisms limiting inflammation in ischemia. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) represents a human model of chronic fetal hypoxia. The purpose of this study was a first-time exploration to determine whether cord blood obtained at the delivery of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants has increased concentrations of inflammatory markers.Study Design: Cord blood was collected from 20 SGA (term and nearterm) infants and 20 appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) controls. Infants exposed to maternal smoking, diabetes, maternal chronic diseases, or alcohol or drug use were excluded. Both groups had Apgar score X7 at 1 min with a normal cord pH (>7.25). Cord-serum cytokines and thrombopoietin (TPO) levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured using a turbidometric immunoassay.Result: SGA infants had a significantly smaller birth weight than AGA controls, with a smaller gestation age by 1 week. There were significant elevations in IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a), CRP and TPO in the SGA compared with the AGA group, which persisted in multiple regression analysis even after gestational age was taken into account. Conclusion:As hypothesized, significant increases in the cord blood concentrations of known inflammatory markers were found in SGA infants compared with the controls.

Offspring DNA methylation of the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor repressor gene is associated with maternal BMI, gestational age, and birth weight

“…The negative associations of AHRR DNA methylation with gestational age and birth weight-for-gestational age might share a similar etiology of DNA methylation variation, given that both preterm deliveries 31 and poor fetal growth may result from inflammatory states. 32 The three associations with offspring AHRR DNA methylation and maternal BMI, infant gestational age and infant birth weight-for-gestational age are intriguing because each of these factors has been shown to be associated with long-term offspring metabolic syndrome including obesity and hypertension. 33,34 How fetal life programs outcome later in life remains an area of intense investigation as epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, may link fetal exposures to adult disease.…”

Clinical immunology Retinol-binding protein 4 levels are related to maternal triglyceride levels

“…Gene polymorphisms associated with decreased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were associated with the delivery of SGA infants [18]. Infants born SGA were also reported to have higher cord blood IL-6, TNF-α and CRP levels [19]. On the contrary, in another study TNF-α and IL-6 levels were not related to delivery of SGA infants, but to preterm delivery [18].…”

Neonatal Leukemoid Reaction with Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome Is Associated with Elevated Serum Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor and Interleukin-6

“…Gomez et al (1998) discovered that fetal umbilical cord serum IL-6 concentration is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of severe neonatal complications, and they initially defined FIRS as a cord serum IL-6 concentration > 11 pg/mL. However, in addition to intrauterine infection, an increase in IL-6 occurring during the fetal period can also be due to intrauterine growth retardation (Amarilyo et al 2011;Lausten-Thomsen et al 2014) and maternal depression (although there are reports that maternal administration of SSRIs decreases the IL-6 level) (Latendresse et al 2013). Therefore, in the present study, the required and sufficient conditions for a diagnosis of FIRS were both an increase in the level of cord serum IL-6 and the presence of histological chorioamnionitis.…”