Abstract: To explore the changes of endogenous activin A (ACT A) in neonates with asphyxia and the relation between ACT A and hypoxicischemic encephalopathy (HIE). MethodsSerum ACT A, FGF and TNF-α were determined at postnatal 1 day (P1, cord blood) and postnatal 7 day (P7) in 58 term infants with asphyxia and 30 normal controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical grading was performed based upon related clinical data. ResultsConcentrations of serum ACT A, FGF and TNF-α were much higher in neonates with asphyxia than in controls at P1 （P＜0.01）. There was a negative correlation between the level of serum ACT A and Apgar scores at 1 minute after birth（r＝-0.948, P＜0.01）. Also concentrations of serum ACT A and FGF were higher in neonates with asphyxia than in controls at P7 (P＜0.01). However, concentration of serum TNF-α was not significantly different between neonates with asphyxia and normal controls（P＞0.05). Based on clinical grading of HIE, related clinical data was scored in neonates with asphyxia. Correlation analysis between the level of serum ACT A and clinical scores showed that there was a positive correlation between the level of serum ACT A and severity of HIE（r＝0.962，P＜0.01）. ConclusionEndogenous ACT A plays a role in the pathogenesis of HIE. Dynamic detection of serum ACT A may be helpful to evaluate the severity and prognosis of HIE.

Key words: Activins, Asphyxia neonatorum, Hypoxiaischemia, brain, Cytokines