THE ANTIINFLAMMATORY EFFECT OF AN ORAL IMMUNOGLOBULIN (IGA-IGG) PREPARATION AND ITS POSSIBLE RELEVANCE FOR THE PREVENTION OF NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS

An exaggerated release of inflammatory mediators has been implicated i n the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Oral administra tion of a human immunoglobulin preparation (serum IgA-IgG) has been de monstrated to be an effective prophylaxis for NEC. The aim of the pres ent study was to examine the regulatory effect of a human IgA-IgG prep aration on the release of inflammatory cytokines in human monocytes. O ur results indicate that the immunoglobulin preparation inhibits TNF-a lpha and IL-6 release in monocytes following stimulation with heat-ina ctivated Hib in a dose-dependent manner. This might have a biological relevance in infants receiving oral immunoglobulin prophylaxis for NEC , since modulation of the release of inflammatory mediators at the lev el of the gastrointestinal mucosa could interfere with the development of noxious sequelae of acute and/or chronic inflammation initiated by microbial pathogens or their toxins that finally lead to the patholog ic changes associated with NEC.