Interleukin 1beta level in human colostrum in relation to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

Breast-fed infants have higher bilirubin level than formula-fed infants which is of undetermined etiology. The cholestatic effect of cytokines (e.g. IL-1beta, IL-6) is believed to result from the repression of genes that normally mediated the hepatic uptake, metabolism, and biliary excretion of bile salts and bilirubin. The present study aimed to assess the level of interleukin 1beta (IL1beta) in early milk of nursing mothers and its relation to neonatal jaundice. Sixty full term neonates and their mothers were included. They were classified into two groups; group I included Forty neonates patients with physiological jaundice and group 11 included twenty age and sex matched controls neonates without jaundice. Milk samples were collected from mothers for estimation of serum IL-1beta level by ELISA, and blood samples were collected from the neonates for measuring total serum bilirubin (TSB) level. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the level (pg/dl) of IL-1beta was found in early milk between group I (10.25 +/- 4.23) and group II (3.75 +/- 2.07). The total serum bilirubin level was higher in group I than group II (10.91 +/- 3.25 mg/dl versus 3.88 +/- 0.78 mg/dl) (P < 0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between of IL-1beta in breast milk and total serum bilirubin levels (r = 0.494, P < 0.001). It is concluded that Elevated levels of IL-1beta in the colostrum provide additional data to understand one of path physiologic mechanisms of breast milk jaundice.