Most infants born to mothers with autoimmune diseases are thought to be entirely healthy. However, the immunological conditions have not been examined thoroughly. Fourteen neonates born to mothers with systemic autoimmune diseases, namely systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis, were included. Serum concentrations of 17 cytokines from the infants' umbilical artery (UA) and vein (UV) and from the mothers' peripheral blood were investigated by a bead array system. Cytokine expression in the placenta was investigated by immunohistochemical staining. The disease was controlled in all mothers, and none had chorioamnionitis. Hypercytokinemia was found in 11 neonates irrespective of their mothers' autoimmune diseases. In six neonates, serum cytokines were at extremely high levels. Four neonates were born by cesarean section because of a non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS) of unknown cause were all included in the hypercytokinemia group. However, all the subjects were discharged without any complications. The cytokine levels were almost the same between UA and UV, but the mothers' blood samples did not show elevation of serum cytokines. There were no differences in the expression of cytokines in the placenta among three patients with different serum cytokines levels. Hypercytokinemia frequently occurred and a cytokine storm state sometimes developed in neonates born to mothers with systemic autoimmune diseases. Growth restriction and NRFS may be related to hypercytokinemia in utero. It is plausible that the high level of cytokines in cord blood originate in neither the mother nor the placenta but in fetal immune tissues. It is important to investigate the immunological mechanisms, prevalence, and long-term influence of hypercytokinemia in a large sample size of neonates and mothers with systemic autoimmune diseases.

中文翻译：

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患有全身性自身免疫性疾病的母亲所生新生儿的脐带血中的多种细胞因子水平极高

大多数患有自身免疫性疾病的母亲所生的婴儿被认为是完全健康的。然而，尚未彻底检查免疫学状况。包括系统性自身免疫性疾病（即系统性红斑狼疮、混合性结缔组织病、干燥综合征、类风湿性关节炎和系统性硬化症）母亲所生的 14 名新生儿。通过微珠阵列系统研究了来自婴儿脐动脉 (UA) 和静脉 (UV) 以及母亲外周血的 17 种细胞因子的血清浓度。通过免疫组织化学染色研究胎盘中细胞因子的表达。所有母亲的疾病都得到控制，没有人患有绒毛膜羊膜炎。在 11 名新生儿中发现了高细胞因子血症，无论其母亲是否患有自身免疫性疾病。在六个新生儿中，血清细胞因子处于极高水平。4 名因不明原因不可靠胎儿状态 (NRFS) 剖宫产出生的新生儿均被纳入高细胞因子血症组。然而，所有受试者均无任何并发症出院。UA 和 UV 之间的细胞因子水平几乎相同，但母亲的血液样本未显示血清细胞因子升高。3例血清细胞因子水平不同的患者胎盘中细胞因子的表达无差异。高细胞因子血症经常发生，有时在患有全身性自身免疫性疾病的母亲所生的新生儿中会出现细胞因子风暴状态。生长受限和 NRFS 可能与宫内高细胞因子血症有关。脐血中高水平的细胞因子既不是来自母亲也不是来自胎盘，而是来自胎儿的免疫组织，这似乎是合理的。在患有全身性自身免疫性疾病的新生儿和母亲的大样本中研究高细胞因子血症的免疫学机制、患病率和长期影响非常重要。