High mobility group box 1 and markers of oxidative stress in human cord blood.

Background Parturition induces considerable oxidative stress and many inflammatory mediators, such as high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), are involved from the beginning of the pregnancy to birth. The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum cord blood concentration of diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and HMGB1 to investigate the perinatal oxidative status of neonates and correlation with mode of delivery, as well as the influence of labor. Methods The subjects consisted of 214 neonates delivered at University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, in a 6 months period. Venous blood samples were collected from the umbilical cord after cord s…