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Cord blood group 2 innate lymphoid cells are associated with lung function at 6 weeks of age

Gabriela Martins Costa Gomes1, Patricia de Gouveia Belinelo1, Malcolm R Starkey1,2,3

  • 1Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell® - Hunter Medical Research Institute The University of Newcastle Newcastle NSW Australia.

Clinical & Translational Immunology
|July 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Infant lung function is linked to fetal immune cells. Higher levels of fetal group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) in cord blood correlate with poorer lung function in newborns born to mothers with asthma.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Neonatal Health
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Maternal asthma during pregnancy is associated with reduced offspring lung function.
  • Human fetal lungs exhibit a 10-fold higher accumulation of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) compared to adult lungs.
  • Limited data exists on fetal ILC2 levels and their impact on early-life respiratory health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cord blood immune cell populations in infants born to mothers with asthma.
  • To explore the association between fetal ILC2 numbers and infant lung function.

Main Methods:

  • Cord blood samples were collected from infants of asthmatic mothers.
  • Immune cells were analyzed using traditional gating and computational methods (t-SNE, PhenoGraph).
  • Infant lung function was assessed at 6 weeks using tPTEF/tE% and Lung Clearance Index (LCI).

Main Results:

  • 91 out of 110 infants were immunophenotyped.
  • Lung function measurements were obtained from 43 (tPTEF/tE%) and 34 (LCI) infants.
  • Increased fetal ILC2 numbers, specifically with CRTh2 expression, were associated with poorer infant lung function at 6 weeks.

Conclusions:

  • Fetal immune responses, particularly ILC2 levels, may influence or predict early-life lung function outcomes.
  • This suggests a potential link between the fetal immune environment and respiratory health trajectory.
Abstract

Keywords:
CRTh2 ILC2asthmacord bloodmultiple breath washouttidal breathing

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