Abstract
Background: Perinatal hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) in term human infants is a major cause of neurodevelopmental impairment and disability. Inflammatory cytokines have been implicated as a major cause of brain injury. Among these Fas ligand plays a major role in apoptotic cell death, while IL-6 acts predominantly as an anti-inflammatory cytokine. The objective of this study was to investigate the cytokine profile in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from human infants with cerebral Hypoxic-Ischaemia (HI) and to correlate these data with clinical evaluation and outcome in comparison to appropriate controls.
Methods: Cytokine concentrations were measured in CSF by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from a cohort of 40 newborn infants comprising 20 patients with HI and 20 controls (newborn infants with suspected infection but negative cultures in CSF). From 10 of the patients in the HI group two consecutive samples were obtained at 12 hours postpartum and at 3 days of age.
Results: The concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines IL1-, TNF-, IFN-, IL-10 and IL-12 did not differ between the patient and controls. The concentrations of IL-6 and Fas ligand were higher in the HI group than in the controls (p<0.01) (Figure 1). A significant correlation (r = .92; p<0.01) was observed between IL-6 levels in CSF samples taken 12 hours after birth and the concentration of Fas ligand in CSF from the same patient, 3 days later.
Conclusion: The results support previous data that concentration of IL-6 is increased in CSF after birth asphyxia. The increased concentration of Fas ligand in CSF may be an indicator of the degree of apoptotic brain cell death. The association between Fas ligand in the first sample and IL-6 in the second sample might indicate that activation of Fas ligand in the central nervous system induces production of IL-6 in humans.
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Leifsdottir, K., Blennow, M., Lagercrantz, H. et al. 149 Increased Concentrations of IL-6 and Fas-Ligand in Cerebrospinal Fluid Obtained from Newborn Infants Following Cerebral Hypoxic-Ischaemic Injury. Pediatr Res 56, 489 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200409000-00172
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200409000-00172