ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: In this article the authors present relationship between meconium exposure and inflammatory cytokine release in newborn lungs. METHODS: The authors used forty 2-week-old rabbit pups for the study. One-half of the group were instilled with meconium and the other half with saline. Rabbits were sacrificed at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hrs after installation and lung lavage was obtained and was examined for cytokine mRNA expression using RT-PCR and for cytokine proteins using ELISA technique. The data were collected in each of the study group. RESULTS: Meconium instillation caused significant expression of inflammatory cytokines TNFalpha, IL-6, and IL-8 (p < 0.05) with a peak at 8 hrs after meconium instillation. Levels of IL-10 were insignificant (p > 0.05). Also, we found significant increase in necrotic cells and neutrophils (p < 0.05), compared to the control, saline instilled rabbit lungs. CONCLUSION: The present studies demonstrates that meconium induces inflammatory response and cytokines gene and protein expression in the lungs.