Immune cell subsets, cytokine and cortisol levels during the first week of life in neonates born to pre‐eclamptic mothers

• Published in: American journal of reproductive immunology (1989) Vol. 77; no. 6
• Main Authors: Sava, Florentina, Toldi, Gergely, Treszl, András, Hajdú, Júlia, Harmath, Ágnes, Rigó, János, Tulassay, Tivadar, Vásárhelyi, Barna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2017
• Subjects: CD4; CD4 antigen; Cord blood; Cortisol; Cytokines; Cytokines - blood; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Female; Fetuses; Flow cytometry; HLA‐DR; Hormones; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Immune status; Immunological memory; Infant, Newborn - immunology; Infants; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Lymphocytes T; Male; Memory cells; memory T cell; Mothers; Neonates; Peripheral blood; Pre-eclampsia; Pre-Eclampsia - immunology; Pregnancy; pre‐term neonate; T cell receptors; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; cortisol; CD4; memory T cell; pre-eclampsia; HLA-DR; pre-term neonate
• ISSN: 1046-7408; 1600-0897
• DOI: 10.1111/aji.12659

Problem To address the hypothesis that pre‐eclampsia (PE) impacts the fetal immune system, we investigated the prevalence of distinct immune cell subsets along with plasma cortisol and cytokine levels in pre‐term newborns of PE mothers. Method of study Cord blood and peripheral blood samples on the 1st, 3rd and 7th postnatal days of life were collected from 14 pre‐term infants affected by PE and 14 non‐PE pregnancies. We measured plasma cortisol and cytokine levels with immunoassays and assessed the prevalence of T, NK and DC subsets using flow cytometry. Results The prevalence of CD4+ cells was lower in PE infants, while that of memory T cells was higher. Myeloid DCs had a lower prevalence in PE neonates. Cytokine and cortisol levels were lower in PE neonates. Conclusion Our observations show that PE pregnancies are associated with altered newborn immune status during the first week of life.