ABSTRACT
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a major role in hematopoiesis, immune functioning, and
the acute phase response. In umbilical cord blood, this cytokine was thought to be
a marker of neonatal defense to stress and infection, however, neonatal IL-6 production
is immature. We speculated that a maternal influence exists on neonatal IL-6, at least
during uncomplicated deliveries. Of the 81 healthy parturients included in this study,
51 delivered vaginally, 20 with and 31 without epidural analgesia, and 30 underwent
elective cesarean section, 20 with epidural and 10 with general anesthesia. Maternal
blood was sampled on hospital admission and just after delivery. Neonatal blood was
collected from the umbilical cord. A significant positive correlation was found between
neonatal cord blood interleukin-6 levels and maternal serum IL-6 levels on admission
(r = 0.57, p < 0.001) and just after delivery (r = 0.79, p < 0.001). This was not influenced by the type of delivery or anesthesia. Neonatal
IL-6 levels were weakly negatively correlated with the duration of gestation and with
the Apgar score 1 min after birth. A fetomaternal dependency of neonatal IL-6 on maternal
serum IL-6 levels implies a priming or modulatory role of the maternal immune system
on that of the neonate.
Keywords
Cytokine, interleukin-6 - neonate - fetomaternal dependency
