INTERLEUKIN-8 AND GRANULOCYTE ELASTASE ALPHA(1) PROTEINASE-INHIBITOR COMPLEX IN THE TRACHEOBRONCHIAL ASPIRATE OF INFANTS WITH CHRONIC LUNG-DISEASE FOLLOWING INTRAUTERINE INFECTION

In order to elucidate the role of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in the developm ent of chronic lung disease (CLD) of neonates with intra-uterine infec tion, serial and simultaneous measurements of the concentration of IL- 8 and granulocyte elastase alpha(1) proteinase inhibitor complex (E-al pha(1)PI) in the tracheobronchial aspirate of low birth weight infants were conducted. Infants with a high serum IgM level at birth, and who subsequently developed CLD, showed significantly high concentrations of IL-8 and E-alpha(1)PI in the first 48 h. It seemed that IL-8 stimul ated neutrophils to release neutrophil enzymes which, in turn, caused the lung tissue injury, resulting in the development of CLD following intra-uterine infection.