Fetal thymus size in human pregnancies reveals inverse association with regulatory T cell frequencies in cord blood
Standard
Fetal thymus size in human pregnancies reveals inverse association with regulatory T cell frequencies in cord blood. / Diemert, Anke; Hartwig, Isabel; Pagenkemper, Mirja; Mehnert, Ryoko; Hansen, Gudula; Tolosa, Eva; Hecher, Kurt; Arck, Petra.
in: J REPROD IMMUNOL, Jahrgang 113, 02.2016, S. 76-82.Publikationen: SCORING: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift/Zeitung › SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz › Forschung › Begutachtung
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Fetal thymus size in human pregnancies reveals inverse association with regulatory T cell frequencies in cord blood
AU - Diemert, Anke
AU - Hartwig, Isabel
AU - Pagenkemper, Mirja
AU - Mehnert, Ryoko
AU - Hansen, Gudula
AU - Tolosa, Eva
AU - Hecher, Kurt
AU - Arck, Petra
N1 - Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/2
Y1 - 2016/2
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To determine fetal thymus growth and its relationship with fetal weight and cord blood T-regulatory cells in a prospective study. Assessment of fetal immune organs by ultrasound could provide a screening approach to identify fetuses at risk of impaired postnatal immunity.STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Thymus size was measured with four ultrasound techniques. The approaches with lowest coefficient of variation (thymus transverse diameter, 3 vessel edge) were used to longitudinally assess fetal and thymus growth in 137 cases at four time points between a gestational age (GA) of 13 and 37 weeks. Cord blood at birth was analyzed by flow-cytometry to evaluate the frequency of regulatory T (Treg) cells.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Fetal thymus growth is significantly correlated with fetal weight (GA 23-25 weeks r=0.40, p<0.01; GA 28-30 weeks r=0.21, p=0.04, GA 35-37 weeks r=0.56, p<0.01). We observed an inverse correlation between fetal thymus size at GA 23-25 weeks and cord blood Treg cells (r=0.37, p=0.01). Thymus growth occurs in a linear fashion throughout pregnancy and can be reliably measured using ultrasound. Our findings of an inverse correlation between thymus growth and Treg cells in cord blood suggests a link between fetal growth, thymus development and immune-status at birth.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine fetal thymus growth and its relationship with fetal weight and cord blood T-regulatory cells in a prospective study. Assessment of fetal immune organs by ultrasound could provide a screening approach to identify fetuses at risk of impaired postnatal immunity.STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Thymus size was measured with four ultrasound techniques. The approaches with lowest coefficient of variation (thymus transverse diameter, 3 vessel edge) were used to longitudinally assess fetal and thymus growth in 137 cases at four time points between a gestational age (GA) of 13 and 37 weeks. Cord blood at birth was analyzed by flow-cytometry to evaluate the frequency of regulatory T (Treg) cells.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Fetal thymus growth is significantly correlated with fetal weight (GA 23-25 weeks r=0.40, p<0.01; GA 28-30 weeks r=0.21, p=0.04, GA 35-37 weeks r=0.56, p<0.01). We observed an inverse correlation between fetal thymus size at GA 23-25 weeks and cord blood Treg cells (r=0.37, p=0.01). Thymus growth occurs in a linear fashion throughout pregnancy and can be reliably measured using ultrasound. Our findings of an inverse correlation between thymus growth and Treg cells in cord blood suggests a link between fetal growth, thymus development and immune-status at birth.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jri.2015.12.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jri.2015.12.002
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 26851722
VL - 113
SP - 76
EP - 82
JO - J REPROD IMMUNOL
JF - J REPROD IMMUNOL
SN - 0165-0378
ER -
