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Abnormal fetal immunological development in Down's syndrome

B Thilaganathan1, D Tsakonas, K Nicolaides

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, Denmark Hill, London, UK.

British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|January 1, 1993
PubMed
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Fetal immune system development is abnormal in Down's syndrome. Studies show significantly lower T, B, and NK lymphocyte counts in fetuses with Down's syndrome, indicating impaired intrauterine immune development.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Prenatal Medicine
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Down's syndrome (Trisomy 21) is associated with immune dysregulation.
  • Understanding early immune system development is crucial for managing associated health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the intrauterine development of the immune system in fetuses with Down's syndrome.
  • To compare lymphocyte subpopulations between fetuses with and without Down's syndrome.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study conducted at the Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine.
  • Fetal blood samples were obtained via cordocentesis from 16 fetuses with Down's syndrome and 104 chromosomally normal fetuses (17-24 weeks gestation).
  • Flow cytometry was used to enumerate T, B, and NK lymphocyte subpopulations.

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Main Results:

  • Fetuses with Down's syndrome exhibited significantly lower median numbers of T lymphocytes (1.52 x 10^9/L vs. 1.98 x 10^9/L, P < 0.01).
  • Significantly reduced counts of B lymphocytes (0.08 x 10^9/L vs. 0.50 x 10^9/L, P < 0.0001) and NK lymphocytes (0.10 x 10^9/L vs. 0.19 x 10^9/L, P < 0.01) were observed in Down's syndrome fetuses.
  • These findings indicate a marked deficit in circulating lymphocyte populations.

Conclusions:

  • The study demonstrates abnormal intrauterine immune system development in Down's syndrome.
  • These prenatal immune alterations may contribute to the increased susceptibility to infections observed in individuals with Down's syndrome.