Interleukin-4, interleukin-10, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in cord blood.

OBJECTIVE

We assessed cord blood for levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and p55 (sTNFR-I) and p75 (sTNFR-II) soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors.

STUDY DESIGN

Umbilical cord IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), sTNFR-I, and sTNFR-II were measured in 21 normal appropriately grown newborns delivered vaginally (normal pregnancy), and 3 abnormal pregnancies (1 preterm delivery, 1 premature rupture of membranes with chorioamnionitis, and 1 abruptio placentae with fetal and neonatal distress). Umbilical cord arterial blood pH and PO2 were also measured.

RESULTS

The TNF alpha, sTNFR-I, and sTNFR-II were detectable in all cord blood samples in normal pregnancies. IL-4 was detected in 10 of 21 samples (47.6%), and IL-10 was undetectable in normal pregnancies. IL-10 could be detected in the cases with chorioamnionitis and abruptio placentae. Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in the case with preterm delivery and the case with abruptio placentae were elevated compared with the levels in control samples.

CONCLUSION

Both the p55 and p75 soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors are physiologic constituents of term cord blood. An immunosuppressive role of IL-10 and a protective role of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors are suggested in abnormal pregnancies. However, in view of the small number of abnormal pregnancies, these observations must be considered preliminary.