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Amena A. Husain, MPH, School of Public Health, Drexel University, 245 N. 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 301-251-2242, amena77@yahoo.com, Rosalind Wright, MD MPH, Associate Physician and Instructor of Medicine, Channing Lab, Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, and David Tollerud, MD, MPH, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, 500 South Preston St., K Building, Louisville, KY 40202.
In utero immunological milieu may influence the risk of asthma and other respiratory disorders in children. Serum cytokine levels are potential biomarkers for studies of asthma and other respiratory disorders. We previously showed that maternal smoking influences maternal and cord blood cytokine levels in a diverse population of pregnant women with ethnic background significantly related to maternal serum cytokine levels. These analyses further investigate factors related to differences in cytokine levels during pregnancy and those in maternal and cord blood at delivery. We analyzed serum cytokine levels (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF) and IgE in an ethnically diverse (predominantly Hispanic and white) population of pregnant women (at < 20 weeks of pregnancy and at delivery) and in cord blood samples. Mothers who smoked showed a significant increase in IL-2 during pregnancy (p<0.05), compared to a slight decrease for mothers who did not smoke (p>0.10). Cord blood levels for all cytokines were significantly lower than maternal levels, but mothers who smoked showed a significantly greater difference between maternal and cord blood IL-2 levels (p<0.01). This pattern was not due to the increase in IL-2 among smoking mothers during pregnancy, but rather, cord blood levels were lower among smoking mothers than non-smoking mothers. Other cytokines and serum IgE did not show this maternal:cord blood pattern. IL-2 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, but the significance of these findings is uncertain. Future studies will investigate the relationship between maternal and cord blood cytokine level and future respiratory outcomes among the children.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to
Keywords: Tobacco, Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.