Anke Diemert1, Isabel Hartwig2, Mirja Pagenkemper2, Ryoko Mehnert2, Gudula Hansen2, Eva Tolosa3, Kurt Hecher2, Petra Arck2. 1. Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: a.diemert@uke.de. 2. Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg, Germany. 3. Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine fetal thymus growth and its relationship with fetal weight and cord blood T-regulatory cells in a prospective study. Assessment of fetal immune organs by ultrasound could provide a screening approach to identify fetuses at risk of impaired postnatal immunity. STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Thymus size was measured with four ultrasound techniques. The approaches with lowest coefficient of variation (thymus transverse diameter, 3 vessel edge) were used to longitudinally assess fetal and thymus growth in 137 cases at four time points between a gestational age (GA) of 13 and 37 weeks. Cord blood at birth was analyzed by flow-cytometry to evaluate the frequency of regulatory T (Treg) cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Fetal thymus growth is significantly correlated with fetal weight (GA 23-25 weeks r=0.40, p<0.01; GA 28-30 weeks r=0.21, p=0.04, GA 35-37 weeks r=0.56, p<0.01). We observed an inverse correlation between fetal thymus size at GA 23-25 weeks and cord blood Treg cells (r=0.37, p=0.01). Thymus growth occurs in a linear fashion throughout pregnancy and can be reliably measured using ultrasound. Our findings of an inverse correlation between thymus growth and Treg cells in cord blood suggests a link between fetal growth, thymus development and immune-status at birth.
OBJECTIVE: To determine fetal thymus growth and its relationship with fetal weight and cord blood T-regulatory cells in a prospective study. Assessment of fetal immune organs by ultrasound could provide a screening approach to identify fetuses at risk of impaired postnatal immunity. STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Thymus size was measured with four ultrasound techniques. The approaches with lowest coefficient of variation (thymus transverse diameter, 3 vessel edge) were used to longitudinally assess fetal and thymus growth in 137 cases at four time points between a gestational age (GA) of 13 and 37 weeks. Cord blood at birth was analyzed by flow-cytometry to evaluate the frequency of regulatory T (Treg) cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Fetal thymus growth is significantly correlated with fetal weight (GA 23-25 weeks r=0.40, p<0.01; GA 28-30 weeks r=0.21, p=0.04, GA 35-37 weeks r=0.56, p<0.01). We observed an inverse correlation between fetal thymus size at GA 23-25 weeks and cord blood Treg cells (r=0.37, p=0.01). Thymus growth occurs in a linear fashion throughout pregnancy and can be reliably measured using ultrasound. Our findings of an inverse correlation between thymus growth and Treg cells in cord blood suggests a link between fetal growth, thymus development and immune-status at birth.
Authors: Lars Bremer; Janina Goletzke; Christian Wiessner; Mirja Pagenkemper; Christina Gehbauer; Heiko Becher; Eva Tolosa; Kurt Hecher; Petra C Arck; Anke Diemert; Gisa Tiegs Journal: EBioMedicine Date: 2017-11-09 Impact factor: 8.143
Authors: Katarzyna Zych-Krekora; Michał Krekora; Maciej Słodki; Mariusz Grzesiak; Piotr Kaczmarek; Krzysztof Zeman; Maria Respondek-Liberska Journal: Arch Med Sci Date: 2019-07-11 Impact factor: 3.318