Cytokine profiles during delivery affect cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitors cells

The most relevant results concerned the tendency to down regulation of CB HSPCs number with an increase of IL-4, IL-10 and GM-CSF levels, only the TNF concentration seems to have no influence on HSPCs pole size. The strongest positive correlations were found between CD34+CD45low HSPCs number and IL-10 and GM-CSF in MB serum and GM-CSF and TNF from CB supernatants. The strongest negative correlations were found between CD34+CD45low HSPCs number and IL-4 and GM-CSF in CB serum and IL-10 in MB supernatants. Interestingly, we observed 'opposite correlation' between serum and supernatant from CB and MB. We concluded that elevated serum levels of IL-4, IL-10 and GM-CSF in CB are indicative of enhanced differentiation of HSPCs and characterize a normal perinatal development. Elevated levels of cytokines seem to stimulate differentiation of HSPCs what is advantageous for neonates during perinatal period.