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Increased levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia

Erhöhte Spiegel von TNF-α und IL-1β im Trachealsekret von Neugeborenen mit Pneumonie

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Summary

Pneumonia is one of the major sites of infection in ventilated newborns. We investigated whether the cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α are detectable in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia as a diagnostic marker. All 12 infants with pneumonia had elevated levels of IL-1β (range 30–300 pg/ml) and TNF-α (range 60–680 pg/ml), whereas control infants (n=21; respiratory distress syndrome, very low birth weight or infants intubated preoperatively) had no detectable levels of IL-1β or TNF-α.In vitro investigations with mononuclear cells of umbilical cord blood were performed to rule out that exogenously added surfactant influences IL-1β and TNF-α production. It is concluded that IL-1β and TNF-α are important and specific mediators of neonatal pneumonia which may be of diagnostic importance.

Zusammenfassung

Die Pneumonie ist eine der Hauptlokalisationen von Infektionen bei Neugeborenen. Wir untersuchten, inwieweit die Zytokine IL-1β und TNF-α im Trachealsekret von Neugeborenen mit Pneumonie als diagnostischer Marker nachgewiesen werden können. Alle 12 Kinder mit Pneumonie hatten erhöhte Spiegel für IL-1β (30–300 pg/ml) und TNF-α (60–680 pg/ml), während die Kontrollen (n=21; Atemnotsyndrom, sehr untergewichtige Neugeborene, präoperativ intubierte Kinder) keine nachweisbaren Spiegel für IL-1β und TNF-α hatten. Um auszuschließen, daß exogen appliziertes Surfactant die IL-1β und TNF-α-Produktion beeinflußt, wurdenIn vitro-Untersuchungen mit mononukleären Zellen von Nabelschnurblut durchgeführt. Wir schließen aus den Ergebnissen, daß IL-1β und TNF-α wichtige und spezifische Mediatoren der Neugeborenenpneumonie sind, die von diagnostischer Bedeutung sein können.

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Buck, C., Gallati, H., Pohlandt, F. et al. Increased levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia. Infection 22, 238–241 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01739905

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01739905

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