Open Access

ARTICLE

Stimulated cytokine production correlates in umbilical arterial and venous blood at delivery

Leea Keski-Nisula^1,2, Marjut Roponen¹, Maija-Riitta Hirvonen¹, Seppo Heinonen², Juha Pekkanen¹

1 Department of Environmental Health, National Public Health Institute, Kuopio, Finland
2 Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland

* Corresponding Authors: Leea Keski-Nisula, ; leea.keski-nisula@kuh.fi>=

European Cytokine Network 2004, 15(4), 347-352.

Accepted 24 June 2004;

Abstract

Background. Umbilical venous blood is easy to obtain after delivery, and thus has been commonly used in many studies for cytokine analysis. Our aim was to evaluate whether or not induced cytokine production differs after stimulation in umbilical artery and vein whole blood samples, using two different stimulation protocols. The effect of such stimulation on fetal and maternal blood was also evaluated. Methods. – Blood samples from umbilical artery (UA) and vein (UV), and from the mother were collected from 23 women after delivery at term. Concentrations of cytokines (IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-6 and TNF-α) were measured in plasma and whole blood after PMA/ConA and PMA/ionomycin stimulation. Results. Both in maternal and in fetal samples, cytokine concen-trations in unstimulated plasma samples were lower than in stimulated samples, except for IL-4 after PMA/ConA stimulation. UA and UV showed similar, average cytokine levels after stimulation and the correlations were high (r=0.68–0.95). Cytokine concentrations were clearly higher in umbilical blood than in maternal blood after stimulation, but not in plasma. Correlations between maternal and umbilical samples after stimulation were generally low (r<0.41). IFN-γ was not detectable in unstimulated plasma samples. The production of IL-4 and IFN-γ was more intense after PMA/ionomycin stimulation than after PMA/ConA stimulation. Interpretation of the results. – Concentrations of the cytokines examined are similar in blood from the UA and UV. For IL-4 and IFN-γ, the stimulant used has a significant effect on the level of cytokine expression, and interestingly, the effect is more pronounced on the fetal than on the maternal side.

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