Characteristic Cytokine Profile of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Very Preterm Infants with Small for Gestational Age or Chorioamnionitis

Abstract

IntroductionSmall for gestational age (SGA) and chorioamnionitis (CAM) are risk factors for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). However, differences in the mechanisms underlying the development of BPD between SGA and CAM have yet to be elucidated.MethodsWe compared cytokine profiles in plasma samples between appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and SGA very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in the first month after birth. We then compared cytokine profiles between VLBW SGA infants with BPD or without BPD four times in the first month after birth. We also compared cytokine profiles from VLBW infants with BPD complicated with SGA and CAM.ResultsMany types of cytokines were higher in VLBW infants than in control infants. IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 levels on Day 3 were higher in VLBW SGA infants than in VLBW AGA infants. IL-8 levels in SGA remained at a higher level than those in AGA on Day 14. IL-8 levels were higher on Day 28 in SGA with BPD than in SGA without BPD. TNFα levels were higher on Days 7 and 28 in CAM with BPD than in SGA with BPD. On the other hand, IFNγ, IL-10, and MCP-1 levels were higher on Day 3 in SGA with BPD than in CAM with BPD.ConclusionsThe pathophysiology of BPD differed between SGA and CAM, and innate immunity, particularly neutrophils and macrophages, might be related to the development of BPD in SGA.

Note:
Funding declaration: This research is supported by MHLW Research on rare and intractable diseases Program Grant Number JPMH23FC0104.

Conflict of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest or financial ties to products in this study.

Ethical Approval: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo (10180).

Keywords: Cytokine Profile, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Small for Gestational Age, Chorioamnionitis