The expression of interleukin6 and tumor necrosis factoralpha in mononuclear cells of the breast milk and neonatal immune study

Objective To detect IL6 and TNF productions in mononuclear cells of breast milk and to evaluate the immune protective effects of cytokines in neonates Methods The productions of IL6 and TNF in cultured mononuclear cells isolated from breast milk of normal puerperants at different times, peripheral blood of postpartum mothers and umbilical cord blood of neonates were measured by ELISA Results (1) The levels of IL6 and TNF in colostric mononuclear cells (CMNC) were significantly higher than those in transitional milk mononuclear cells (TMMNC, the milk formed after the colostrum) and umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCBMNC, P001) (2) The levels of IL6 and TNF by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were significantly higher than those in UCBMNC and TMMNC (P0001) (3) There were no differences between the groups of CMNC and PBMNC (P005), as well as TMMNC and UCBMNC (P0.05) Conclusion Mitogenstimulated mononuclear cells of the breast milk could produce IL6 and TNF, of which the CMNC was more obvious Therefore, prompt breast feeding might increase the capacity of immune protection in the neonate of whom usually with poor functions of monocytes and macrophages