Abstract
The objectives of the study were to characterize the production, function and survival of T lymphocytes of children with prolonged fetal exposure to dexamethasone for anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies associated congenital complete heart block. The analysis of thymic function, studied by measuring the level of T-cell receptor excision circles, was performed by real time PCR, the composition of T-cell subpopulation was evaluated by flow cytometry and the T-cell diversity was assayed by heteroduplex analysis. T-cell competence was gauged at two functional levels by determining the proliferation and the number of T-cell divisions and by measuring gamma-interferon production after mitogenic stimulation. We observed that the thymic output, distribution of T-cell subsets, thymidine incorporation, number of T-cell divisions, and y-interferon production were comparable to those of age-matched control. On the contrary, heteroduplex analysis demonstrated the presence of both polyclonal and oligoclonal peripheral T-cell repertoires. In conclusion, the analysis of the T-cell compartment in children with prolonged intrauterine exposure to high dose dexamethasone did not disclose any relevant abnormality, except a restriction of T-cell receptor diversity in some patients.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Antibodies, Antinuclear / drug effects*
-
Antibodies, Antinuclear / immunology
-
Antigens, CD / drug effects
-
Antigens, CD / metabolism
-
Autoantigens / drug effects*
-
Autoantigens / immunology
-
Case-Control Studies
-
Cell Compartmentation / drug effects
-
Cell Proliferation / drug effects
-
Cell Survival / drug effects
-
Child
-
Child, Preschool
-
Dexamethasone / therapeutic use*
-
Female
-
Flow Cytometry
-
Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
-
Heart Block / congenital
-
Heart Block / drug therapy*
-
Heart Block / immunology*
-
Heteroduplex Analysis
-
Humans
-
Immunophenotyping
-
Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
-
Interferon-gamma / drug effects
-
Male
-
Mitogens / pharmacology
-
Phytohemagglutinins / pharmacology
-
Polymerase Chain Reaction
-
RNA, Small Cytoplasmic / drug effects*
-
RNA, Small Cytoplasmic / immunology
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / drug effects
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
-
Ribonucleoproteins / drug effects*
-
Ribonucleoproteins / immunology
-
T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
-
T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
-
Thymus Gland / cytology
-
Thymus Gland / drug effects*
-
Thymus Gland / metabolism
-
Treatment Outcome
Substances
-
Antibodies, Antinuclear
-
Antigens, CD
-
Autoantigens
-
Glucocorticoids
-
Mitogens
-
Phytohemagglutinins
-
RNA, Small Cytoplasmic
-
RO60 protein, human
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
-
Ribonucleoproteins
-
Dexamethasone
-
Interferon-gamma