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Abnormal fetal immunological development in Down's syndrome
Author(s) -
Thilaganathan Baskaran,
Tsakonas Dennis,
Nicolaides Kypros
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1993.tb12952.x
Subject(s) - fetus , cd3 , immune system , cd19 , lymphocyte , down syndrome , medicine , flow cytometry , gestation , immunology , andrology , biology , pregnancy , cd8 , genetics , psychiatry
Objective To investigate the intrauterine development of the immune system in Down's syndrome. Design Cross sectional study. Setting Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, London, UK. Subjects 16 fetuses with Down's syndrome and 104 fetuses with a normal karyotype at 17–24 weeks gestation. Main outcome measures Flow cytometry was used to enumerate T (CD3+), B (CD19+) and NK (CD3– & CD16+/CD56+) lymphocyte subpopulations in fetal blood obtained by cordocentesis. Results The median numbers of T, B and NK lymphocytes in fetuses with Down's syndrome (1.52 × 10 9 /l, 0.08 × 10 9 /l, and 0.10 × 10 9 /l, respectively) were significantly lower than in the chromosomally normal fetuses (T lymphocytes: 1.98 × 10 9 /l, z = 3.04 , P <0.01 ; B lymphocytes: 0.50 × 10 9 /l, z = 5.84 , P <0.0001 ; and NK lymphocytes: 0.19 × 10 9 /l, z = 3.14 , P <0.01 ). Conclusion These data demonstrate that in Down's syndrome, there is abnormal intra‐uterine development of the immune system.