Neutrophil and monocyte beta 2-integrin expression in trisomic fetuses

Flow cytometry was used to measure neutrophil and monocyte beta 2-integrin expression in fetuses with trisomy 18 (n = 7) and trisomy 21 (n = 7) at 20-25 weeks' gestation. The values were compared with those of 112 chromosomally normal fetuses. There were no significant differences in beta 2-integrin expression between normal and aneuploid fetuses. These findings demonstrate that in trisomies 21 and 18, alteration in beta 2-integrin expression is unlikely to contribute to the pathogenesis of immunological deficiencies that have been observed in these aneuploidies both prenatally and postnatally.