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Placental IL-10 dysregulation and association with bronchopulmonary dysplasia risk

Elisabeth C McGowan1, Stefan Kostadinov, Kathryn McLean

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02915, USA.

Pediatric Research
|July 8, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants may be predicted by placental cytokine expression. Lower levels of anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the placenta are linked to BPD development, suggesting a protective role.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatology
  • Neonatology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Premature infants often exhibit proinflammatory states, contributing to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) pathogenesis.
  • The placenta's role in initiating BPD events is under investigation.
  • Cytokine profiles in amniotic fluid, cord serum, and tracheal aspirates indicate a shift towards inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate placental cytokine expression as a predictor of BPD in premature infants.
  • To determine if placental cytokine profiles reflect events leading to BPD development.
  • To analyze the association between specific cytokines (IL-6, IL-10) and BPD incidence.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective, case-controlled study of 98 premature infants (49 with BPD, 49 without).
  • Matched infants by gender, birth weight, and year of birth.
  • Immunohistochemistry used to assess cytokine expression (IL-6, IL-10) in placental tissues, membrane rolls, and umbilical cords.

Main Results:

  • Interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression was similar in infants with and without BPD.
  • Anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression was significantly lower in the placentas of infants who developed BPD.
  • Reduced IL-10 expression in the villous trophoblast layer correlated with a significantly lower odds of developing BPD (adjusted OR 0.08).

Conclusions:

  • Placental cytokine balance, particularly involving IL-10, is critical for normal lung development in premature infants.
  • Lower placental IL-10 expression is associated with an increased risk of BPD.
  • IL-10 may play a protective role against the development of BPD.

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