Oxidative Stress State in Umbilical Cord Blood From Neonates of the Mothers With Allergic Asthma

Objective To assess the oxidative stress state in umbilical cord blood from neonates of the mothers with allergic asthma,and analyze its relationship with the mediator release properties of human basophils.Methods Umbilical cord blood sample were collected from the neonates of 16asthmatic lying-in women and 18healthy lying-in women between March 2008to June 2009.Basophils were purified and then stimulated by dermatophagoides farinae,hyperosmotic mannitol.Activation was assessed by flow cytometric measurement of CD63 expression on the cord blood basophil surface.Interleukin(IL)-4levels in samples were measured by ELISA,and done the correlation analysis with the 3-nitrotyrosine(NT)levels in the serum which were measured by ELISA.The study protocol was approved by the Ethical Review Board of Investigation in Human Being of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine.Informed consent was obtained from all participates.There had no significant differences between two groups on age,delivery modes,pregnancy age and cord blood collection mode etc..Results After stimulation of Df and hyperosmotic mannitol,basophils purified from the cord blood of neonates born to atopic mothers produced more IL-4compared to basophils purified from the controls[(3.27±0.40)pg/mL vs.(1.78±0.48)pg/ mL;(3.56±0.47)pg/mLvs.(1.92±0.52)pg/mL;t=2.53,3.61,P0.01].Upregulation of CD63 on the cord blood basophil surface was also detected in response to these stimuli(215.59±47.15 vs.11.33±3.26,233.65±51.25 vs.12.98±3.11;t=7.61,8.97;P0.01).The level of 3-NT in the serum of umbilical cord blood from neonates of the mothers with allergic asthma was significantly higher than that in healthy group[(443.86±95.20)μg/mL vs.(288.17±57.23)μg/mL;(474.69±92.55)μg/mL vs.(273.70± 68.09)μg/mL;t=2.68,2.79,P0.01].There was a significant correlation between the concentration of IL-4and the 3-NT in umbilical cord blood from allergic asthma group(r=0.607,P0.05;r=0.619,P 0.05).Conclusions In asthma,specific immune response and a non-specific stimulation are associated with oxidative stress,which may be one of the pathogenesis of allergic diseases.