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Am J Perinatol 2009; 26(9): 647-657
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1220788
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Neonatal Cord Blood Subsets and Cytokine Response to Bacterial Antigens

John Denton Peoples1 , 4 , Sandy Cheung1 , 2 , 4 , Mirjana Nesin1 , 3 , 4 , Hong Lin1 , 2 , 4 , A.M. Francesca Tatad1 , 3 , 4 , Danthanh Hoang1 , 3 , 4 , Jeffrey M. Perlman1 , 3 , 4 , Susanna Cunningham-Rundles1 , 2 , 4
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Host Defenses Program, New York, New York
  • 2Division of Hematology/Oncology, New York, New York
  • 3Division of Neonatology, New York, New York
  • 4Weill Cornell College, New York, New York
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Publication History

Publication Date:
23 April 2009 (online)

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ABSTRACT

We compared lymphocyte subsets and cytokine responses to bacteria among term, preterm infants, and adults. Lymphocyte subset percentages in cord blood (22 preterm, 27 term neonates) and peripheral blood from 21 adults and cytokine/chemokine interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, interferon gamma (IFN gamma) responses to Escherichia coli, group B Streptococcus (GBS), Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp299v) were assessed by flow cytometry. Preterm compared with term infants had increased CD8+ T cells (p = 0.02) and reduced naïve CD4+ T cells (p < 0.0001). Memory T and natural killer (NK) T cells were reduced (p < 0.001) in neonates; NK and CD56+161+ NK cells were increased (p < 0.001). CD56+CD8+ NK cells were higher in preterm compared with term infants. Despite individual exceptions, cytokine responses in neonates were weaker than adults except for IL-8 response to E. coli in preterm and IL-12 response to Lp299v in term infants. IL-10 responses were weaker in preterm (p = 0.01) and term (p = 0.005) infants to S. epidermidis and to E. coli (p = 0.03 for both) compared with adults. Differences in regulatory subpopulations of NK and T cells between neonates and adults and term compared with preterm infants were observed. These differences rather than intrinsic functional deficiency may account for neonatal cytokine responses to bacteria.

KEYWORDS

Term - preterm - neonate - umbilical cord blood - cytokine - immune subpopulations - memory T cells - naïve T cells - natural killer subsets - adhesion molecules - bacterial antigens - IL-6 - IL-8 - IL-10 - IL-12 - interferon gamma - E. coli - S. epidermidis - group B Streptococcus - Lactobacillus plantarum

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Susanna Cunningham-RundlesPh.D. 

Professor of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Cornell University Weill Medical College

1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021

Email: scrundle@med.cornell.edu