Maternal and cord plasma cytokine and chemokine profile in pregnancies complicated by asthma

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dc.contributor.authorOsei-Kumah, A.
dc.contributor.authorSmith, R.
dc.contributor.authorClifton, V.
dc.date.issued2008
dc.description© 2008 Elsevier
dc.description.abstractThe mechanisms contributing to worsening of asthma during pregnancy have not been well characterized. Both asthma and pregnancy are conditions associated with a skewing of the immune response from T helper (Th) 1 toward a Th2 response. We hypothesise that worsening of asthma during pregnancy may be due to an enhanced production of circulating proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines and this may be modified by the use of inhaled glucocorticoid treatment. Peripheral blood was collected from asthmatic (n = 35) and control non-asthmatic patients (n = 13) in the third trimester (30–37 weeks) of pregnancy. Fetal blood was collected from the umbilical vein of the placenta after delivery from normal (n = 24) and pregnancies complicated by asthma (n = 24). Plasma samples were assayed for IL-6, -8, eotaxin and RANTES using conventional ELISA. In addition, a range of Th1 and Th2 cytokines measured using Luminex system. There were no significant differences in the levels of maternal IL-6, IL-8, eotaxin and RANTES between asthmatics and nonasthmatics. The results of this study suggest that the presence of asthma does not result in an enhanced circulation of Th2 related cytokines and chemokines during the third trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore peripheral blood cytokine concentrations appear unaffected by inhaled glucocorticoid treatment. Cord plasma eotaxin concentrations were increased in pregnancies complicated by asthma, compared with control. This is the first study to show increased eotaxin production in the feto-placental unit of asthmatic pregnancies and may be one mechanism by which allergy susceptibility is increased in the offspring of asthmatic women.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityAnnette Osei-Kumah, Roger Smith and Vicki L. Clifton
dc.identifier.citationCytokine, 2008; 43(2):187-193
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.cyto.2008.05.008
dc.identifier.issn1096-0023
dc.identifier.issn1043-4666
dc.identifier.orcidClifton, V. [0000-0002-4892-6748]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/57600
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAcademic Press
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2008.05.008
dc.subjectFetal Blood
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectAsthma
dc.subjectPregnancy Complications
dc.subjectCytokines
dc.subjectGlucocorticoids
dc.subjectMothers
dc.subjectPregnancy
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectFemale
dc.titleMaternal and cord plasma cytokine and chemokine profile in pregnancies complicated by asthma
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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