Abnormal PAR1/2 Number Can Influence Effector T Cell Subsets in Turner Syndrome

Turner syndrome is a complicated gonadal insufficiency, infertility, and endocrine disease caused by the partial to complete loss of one X chromosome. Women with Turner syndrome have been reported to show altered effector T-cell subgroups; however, the relationship between T-cell subgroups and chromosome type remains unknown.

In this study, we investigated immune abnormalities and karyotypes of Turner syndrome. Using flowcytometry, we examined the T-cell subsets of 20 women with Turner syndrome and 23 women serving as controls (without recurrent pregnancy loss), between July 2021 and June 2022. Background data of the women with Turner syndrome were also collected.

Significantly lower levels of helper T-cells 1 and 2 were observed in women with Turner syndrome than in the control group (4.5 ± 2.88 vs. 8.54 ± 4.45, p < 0.05, 0.56 ± 0.38 vs. 0.97 ± 0.48, p < 0.05, respectively). With respect to karyotypes, deletion of a specific region, pseudoautosomal region 2, which typically escapes X-inactivation, might influence regulatory T cells (Treg) levels as copy number of PAR2 and Treg rate were positively correlated (r = 0.76).

Individuals with Turner syndrome showed an altered T-cell subset, which might be caused by the deletion of a specific part of the X chromosome, pseudoautosomal region 2. This finding suggests that women with Turner syndrome in a specific karyotype show altered T-cell subsets, and more cases are needed to determine whether these T-cell changes could influence pregnancy outcomes.