Clinical and immunogenetic features of neonates with perinatal infections

Aim. Investigation of cytokine status and the association between promoter regions polymorphism of interleukin-6, -10 and -18 genes in neonates with perinatal infections.

Methods. Complex examination of 743 neonates with perinatal infections was conducted. The level of interleukin-1β, -6, -10, -18, and TNFα was measured with the use of standard method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay («sandwich» variant). Polymorphic variants of genes were analyzed with the methods of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results. The results of the received data are indicative of the general tendency to increasing level of cytokines both in full-term and preterm infants with perinatal infections. Our study revealed the role of allelic variants at positions -174 G/C, -572 G/C, -597 G/A of interleukin 6, at positions -1082 G/C, -819 T/C of interleukin-10 and at positions -656 T/G, -137 G/C of interleukin-18 genes in the risk of development and progression of infections. It was determined that the presence of G allele at -174 and -572 positions of interleukin-6 gene, C allele at -819 and -137 positions of interleukin-10 and -18 genes, respectively, and G allele at -656 position of interleukin-18 gene was associated with the risk of perinatal infections in newborns. Conclusions. In neonates with perinatal infections imbalance of cytokine profile was revealed, that can be confirmed by increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, -6, -18, and TNFα) and decreased level of anti-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin-10) compared to uninfected neonates. Allelic variants of cytokine genes of interleukin-6 at position -572 G/C, interleukin-10 at position -819 T/G and interleukin-18 at position -652 T/G and 137 G/C are significantly associated with infectious diseases. Increased risk of prenatal infections is associated with genotypes GG of interleukin-6, TT of interleukin-10 and TT and GG of interleukin-18. Detection of haplotypes and haplogenotypes in the population of healthy and infected neonates revealed favorable haplotypes: GCC and GGG of interleukin-6, ATA of interleukin-10 and AGG and CGC of interleukin-18.