All issues > Volume 40(5); 1997

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1997;40(5):690-700. Published online May 15, 1997.

Production of Interleukin-1α and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α by Human Cord and Adult Blood Mononuclear Cells Stimulated by TSST-1 and LPS

Eun Ae EA Park¹, Kyung Hyo KH Kim¹, Gyoung Hee GH Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Immature immunological defens mechanism in the neonate may contribute to the high susceptibility to overwhelming sepsis. S. aureus TSST-1 and E. coli LPS known as one of the important pathogens of septic shock or toxic shock induce massive release of various cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) and interleukin-1α(IL-1α) produced from peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC). In contrast, limited information has been provided so far concerning the capacity of cytokine production from neonatal immune cells.
Methods
: This study was conducted to compare the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-lα and TNF-α from cord blood PBMC to those from adult blood PBMC stimulated by S. aureus TSST-1 and E. coli LPS.
Results
: 1) IL 1-α was secreted in a time-dependent manner from cord & adult blood PBMC stimulated with several cytokine inducers, and LPS stimulated adult & cord blood PBMC secreted IL 1-α in a dose-dependent manner. 2) TNF-α secretion from cord blood PBMC stimulated with LPS and IFN-γ significantly decreased in a time dependent manner, but not from adult PBMC. And secretion of TNF-α from cord blood PBMC reached the highest level 24 hours after stimulated with LPS or IFN-γ. The secretion of TNF-α from adult blood PBMC showed similar pattern to those from cord blood PBMC, but higher than cord blood PBMC. 3) IL-1α & TNF-α secretion from cord & adult blood PBMC stimulated with TSST-1 had no significant difference except in TNF-α secretion by TSST-1 at 96 hours. 4) The secretion of IL-1α from adult PBMC stimulated with LPS showed higher and longer than that from cord blood PBMC. 5) IL-1α & TNF-α secretion from cord & adult blood PBMC stimulated with IFN-γ had no significant difference.
Conclusion
: In summary, proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1α, TNF-α in cord blood PBMC were secreted in a time dependent manner, but the amounts of IL-1α and TNF-α secretion were lesser than those of adult blood PBMC, especially stimulated by LPS. These results suggest that increased susceptibility to infection in neonatal period may be partially from a functional immaturity of cord blood mononuclear cells.

Keywords :Cord blood PBMC, TSST-1, LPS, TNF-α, IL-1α