NF-κB activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in neonatal asphyxia

Neonatal asphyxia results in hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. Previous studies have demonstrated that brain hypoxia and ischaemia lead to the production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha ), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6. Transcription factor NF-kappa B is essential for the expression of these cytokines. We examined whether or not NF-kappa B is activated in peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in neonatal asphyxia by flow cytometry. In addition, we examined the relationship between NF-kappa B activation in PBMC and the neurological prognosis. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the level of NF-kappa B activation in CD14(+) monocytes/macrophages of the patients with asphyxia who had neurological sequelae was significantly higher than in the controls, and in the patients with asphyxia who survived (31.7 +/- 7.2%versus 2.5 +/- 0.9%, P = 0.008, and versus 1.6 +/- 1.4%, P = 0.014, respectively). Our findings suggest that NF-kappa B activation in peripheral blood CD14(+) monocytes/macrophages in neonatal asphyxia is important for predicting the subsequent neurological sequelae.