All issues > Volume 51(7); 2008

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2008;51(7):754-759. Published online July 15, 2008.

Relationship between cord blood level of IL-12 in preterm newborns and development of wheezing

Hyo Jung HJ Yu¹, Eun Ae EA Park¹, Ji Young JY Kim¹, Soo Jin SJ Cho¹, Young Ju YJ Kim², Hye Sook HS Park³, Eun Hee EH Ha³

¹Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
³Department of Preventive Medicine, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Abnormal activation patterns of Th1/Th2-cells have been suggested to increase the prevalence of allergic diseases. Prevention is regarded as an important corner stone in the management of allergic diseases. In this study, we have investigated the relationship between cord blood levels of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 in preterm newborns and the development of allergic respiratory diseases in infancy
Methods
: Forty-six preterm newborns born at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between January 2003 and July 2005, were enrolled for this study, and consent was obtained to test their cord blood samples. Clinical history was obtained from the hospital records. Cord blood was obtained at birth and kept frozen until it was tested. The levels of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results
: All infants were followed-up for a median of 16.0 months?3.2 d (range, 12.0 to 36.0 months). Eighteen infants who developed wheezing showed lower cord blood levels of IL-12 (366.60?40.40 vs 435.09?1.20 pg/mL, P=0.009). Cord blood levels of IL-4 and IL-10 showed no significant difference between the two groups. Four newborns who later developed asthma, and infants with asthma showed lower IL-12 level in the cord blood than other groups.
Conclusion
: Lower concentration of cord blood levels of IL-12 in newborns who later developed wheezing and asthma suggested that they had abnormal activation patterns of Th1/Th2-cells at the time of birth, and cord blood IL-12 level can be used as a predictor of allergic respiratory diseases.

Keywords :Cord blood, IL-12, Wheezing, Asthma, Preterm infant