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Interferons and cerebral palsy
J K Grether1, K B Nelson, J M Dambrosia
1California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, California Department of Health Services, Emeryville, California, USA.
Insights
High neonatal interferons (IFNs) were linked to spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and inflammation markers. Lower IFNs in CP infants correlated with different inflammatory profiles and spastic hemiplegia, suggesting distinct CP subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal immunology
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex neurological disorder.
- The role of neonatal immune factors in CP pathogenesis requires further investigation.
- Interferons (IFNs) are key immune signaling molecules with diverse functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between neonatal interferon (IFN) levels and spastic cerebral palsy (CP).
- To explore correlations between neonatal IFNs and other measured biochemical substances in infants with CP.
- To differentiate CP subtypes based on neonatal IFN profiles.
Main Methods:
- Archived neonatal blood samples from 31 children with CP and 65 controls were analyzed.
- Immunoaffinity chromatography with laser-enhanced fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection was employed.
- Quantification of interferons (IFNs) and various inflammatory markers, cytokines, and coagulation factors was performed.
Main Results:
- Elevated neonatal IFN-alpha, beta, and gamma concentrations were observed in 14 of 31 children with spastic CP.
- These 14 children also showed altered levels of interleukins, TNF-alpha, chemokines, and other factors.
- Children with CP and normal IFN levels exhibited different inflammatory profiles and coagulation factor concentrations, with some cases linked to spastic hemiplegia.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal interferons exceeding control concentrations are associated with inflammation and spastic diplegia in CP.
- In CP infants, IFNs within the control range correlate with near-control inflammatory markers and spastic hemiplegia.
- These findings suggest distinct immunological pathways contributing to different CP subtypes.
Objective:
To explore the association of neonatal interferons (IFNs) with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and with other measured substances.
Study Design:
Assays of archived neonatal blood of 31 predominantly term children with CP and 65 children in a control group were obtained by recycling immunoaffinity chromatography with laser-enhanced fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection.
Results:
Fourteen of 31 children with spastic CP had concentrations of IFNs-alpha, beta, and gamma exceeding any control. Levels of interleukins-1, 6, 8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, chemokines, colony stimulating factors, transforming growth factor-beta, complement components and regulators, certain neuropeptides, and thyroid hormones also differed from control levels in these 14 children. The 17 children with CP whose IFN concentrations were within the control range had levels of inflammatory cytokines higher than but near to control values; 13 of these 17 had values for coagulation factors that exceeded control values. Seven of 9 children with spastic diplegia had high IFNs, and 8 of 10 hemiplegic children had normal IFNs.
Conclusion:
Neonatal IFNs exceeding control concentrations were associated with other biochemical and clinical indicators of inflammation and with spastic diplegia. In these children with CP, IFNs within the control range were associated with concentrations of other inflammatory markers that were near to control values and with spastic hemiplegia.