Baby cord blood contains important ingredients for the treatment of inflammation and sepsis
Baby cord blood contains important ingredients for the treatment of inflammation and sepsis October 24, 2016 Source: Bio Valley One of the first challenges faced by newborns after birth is the risk of infection. Researchers from the University of Utah recently discovered a special peptide in the cord blood of infants that helps prevent inflammation and sepsis that may be life-threatening. The relevant research results were published in the International Journal of Clinical Journal. This peptide, called the neonatal NET inhibitor (nNIF), prevents the body from producing NET (neutrophic extracellular traps), and the main function of these fiber molecules is to capture pathogens. nNIF can slow down the inflammatory response and reduce the efficiency of the immune system. Researchers believe that this process can be used to help treat inflammation and sepsis – not just in infants. But to say that reducing the efficiency of the immune system can bring benefits, this view seems to be somewhat unconventional, but researchers believe that nNIF may indeed be very important for newborns. The study's author, Professor Christian Yost, said: "The immune system needs to be suppressed in the first few days or weeks after birth, because the baby is exposed to a variety of new protein environments that have never been exposed before." The immune system responds in a very strong way, and it kills not only dangerous pathogens, but also the beneficial bacteria that are first planted in the baby. "We think this represents a tolerance mechanism that keeps the baby's immune system from attacking the mother," Christian said. This polypeptide stays in the umbilical cord and circulatory system of the baby for only about two weeks and then disappears. Although the NET fiber produced by the body can help the immune system fight bacteria and viruses, the researchers believe that this is a "double-edged sword": having enough NET can limit the spread of infection; but if NET is too much or appears in the absence of it The place is also equally harmful. To test the efficacy of nNIF, the researchers collected umbilical cord blood samples from seven families with premature babies. They then used the sample to synthesize nNIF polypeptides in the laboratory and used synthetic peptides to treat mice with different infection types. For example, they injected LPS into the abdomen of mice to simulate Gram-negative infections (such as pneumonia); they also injected E. coli, a major cause of sepsis, into the abdomen of mice. They also tied and pierced a part of the large intestine of the mouse, allowing bacteria to enter the peritoneal cavity and cause a variety of microbial sepsis. "The survival rate of mice treated with nNIF peptide increased by 30% to 40% compared to mice that did not receive nNIF," Christian said. Many people are sensitive to umbilical cord blood problems in infants, but many parents still donate cord blood to research institutions or save them in cord blood banks. "Now we already know the sequence of the nNIF polypeptide, so there is no need to collect nNIF from cord blood for experiments, and in the future there is no need to collect nNIF from cord blood for use as a therapeutic. Jiangsu Tiankang Food Co., Ltd. , https://www.tiankangfood.com