Presence of interferon-gamma and interleukin-6 in colostrum of normal women

Colostrum and blood samples were obtained on postpartum day 2 and 3 from 17 lactating, healthy women. After delipidation and molecular sieving fractionation of colostrum, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) could be readily measured by using a sensitive immunoassay. Antiviral activity could be also measured in some colostrum samples suggesting that interferon was biologically active. On the contrary, corresponding plasma samples showed negligible activity. These results expand previous data showing the presence of IL-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), and IL-6 in normal colostrum and are in line with the concept of a basal cytokine production in physiological conditions. All of these cytokines probably act on the oropharyngeal and gut-associated lymphoid tissue of the newborn and favor the development and maturation of the immune system.