Determination of T-cell subpopulations and intracellular cytokine production (interleukin-2, interleukin-4, and interferon-γ) by cord blood T-lymphocytes of neonates from atopic and non-atopic parents

This report describes the results of a prospective study on immunological markers in cord blood for the prediction of allergic diseases in children. First we evaluated methodological aspects of the flow cytometric technique on cord blood cytokine measurements. Subsequently, the T-cell subsets and percentage of cytokine-producing cord blood T-helper (Th) and T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes of neonates from atopic and non-atopic parents were compared. A group of 33 healthy, full-term newborn infants of whom 23/33 were at risk for atopy (i.e. having at least one parent with one or more atopic symptoms and positive specific immunoglobulin E [IgE] to at least one common inhalant allergen) was studied. A flow cytometric technique was used to analyze cord blood Teen subsets and to determine the percentage of interleukin (IL)-2-, IL-4-, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing cord blood Th and T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes following stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, The percentage of CD3 (T lymphocytes), CD3(+) CD4(+) (Th lymphocytes), CD3(+) CD8(+) (T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes), CD19(+) (B lymphocytes), CD3(+) CD4(+) CD45RO(+) (memory Th lymphocytes), and CD3(+) CD4(+) CD45RA(+) (naive Th lymphocytes) cells was unrelated to parental atopic status. PMA stimulation augmented the percentage of IL-2- and IFN-gamma-producing Th and T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes, whereas the number of IL-4-producing T lymphocytes remained very low or undetectable. No differences in the percentage of IL-2-, IL-4- and IFN-gamma-producing Th and T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes were found between neonates from atopic and non-atopic parents. These results will be re-evaluated when the atopic status of the children at the age of 1 and 2 years can be assessed.