Inflammatory mechanisms in the newborn

Age-dependent changes of proinflammatory cytokine production by porcine peripheral blood phagocytes

The aim of the present study was to determine postnatal ontogeny of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-8 and TNF-alpha production by in vitro stimulated porcine blood leukocytes. Four age categories of pigs were chosen. Cytokine production was determined using intracellular flow cytometry. It was found that IL-8 and TNF-alpha production by blood monocytes significantly increased during the postnatal period while production of IL-1beta remained unchanged. In blood neutrophils, the IL-8 production increased only during the postnatal period, while the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were undetectable during the whole postnatal period. Generally, the most intensive changes in cytokine production occurred before weaning. The production of low levels of cytokines by monocytes and neutrophils from young pigs was not caused by a delayed cytokine response because the cytokine production after 8-h stimulation was lower than that after 4-h stimulation in all age categories. The ontogenetical changes showed the same trends when two different stimulators (LPS, heat-inactivated E. coli) were used, suggesting that the ontogenetical changes are not caused by a simple defect in one signalling pathway, but it is probably a more complex process. No differences in cytokine production between the whole blood and the isolated cells supplemented with newborn or adult serum were found. Thus the ability of newborn monocytes and neutrophils to produce proinflammatory cytokines was not decreased due to the influence of composition of the microenvironment, where the cells were present. In conclusion, the ability of porcine blood leukocytes to produce cytokines develops during postnatal life.

Inhibition of polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis by alpha-macrofetoprotein, an acute-phase reactant of the rat

alpha-Macrofetoprotein (alpha M FP) is a normal fetal plasma constituent in the rat, with very low plasma levels in the adult phase but rising sharply after injury. This fetal acute-phase protein is a strong inhibitor of inflammatory edema. Fetal inflammatory reactions show diminished exudation, but also impaired emigration of polymorph nuclear cells (PMNs). Therefore we studied the effect of alpha M FP on chemotaxis of PMN in vitro and in vivo. In vitro experiments showed a strong inhibitory effect on casein-induced leukotaxis (Boyden technique) with a clear dose-effect relationship. In vivo with glycogen-induced pleurisy and peritonitis, high alpha M FP levels are accompanied by diminished PMN emigration and vice versa. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to fetal pathology and also as a model showing the modulating effects of acute-phase proteins on the inflammatory reaction induced by tissue injury.