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Low birth weight is associated with altered immune function in rural Bangladeshi children: a birth cohort study

Rubhana Raqib1, Dewan S Alam, Protim Sarker

  • 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh. rubhana@icddrb.org

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|March 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children born with low birth weight exhibit altered immune markers, suggesting reduced immunocompetence. This may lead to increased susceptibility to infections later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Low birth weight (LBW) can result from fetal insults or poor nutrition.
  • Early life exposures, including LBW, may impact long-term immune function and disease susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of birth weight on immune function in preschool-aged children.
  • To assess specific immune markers related to thymopoiesis, T cell turnover, and immune activation in relation to birth weight.

Main Methods:

  • A birth cohort cross-sectional study in 132 children from rural Bangladesh.
  • Measurements included birth weight, length, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) analysis.
  • Assessed thymopoiesis (T cell receptor excision circles), T cell turnover (telomere length, CD3+ T cells), acute phase response (C-reactive protein), and serum bactericidal activity.

Main Results:

  • Low birth weight (LBW) children showed higher T cell receptor excision circles (biomarker for thymopoiesis) and elevated serum bactericidal activity and C-reactive protein concentrations compared to normal birth weight (NBW) children.
  • LBW group had lower plasma interleukin-7, shorter telomere length in PBMCs, and a trend towards lower CD3+ T cells.
  • These findings indicate increased immune activation and T cell turnover in LBW children.

Conclusions:

  • LBW is associated with increased peripheral T cell turnover and immune activation, potentially leading to a greater demand on the thymus.
  • These immune alterations may result in diminished immune functional reserve in preschool-aged children born with LBW.
  • LBW has significant implications for long-term immunocompetence and increased vulnerability to infectious diseases.
Abstract

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