Longitudinal analysis of immune function in the first 3 years of life in thymectomized neonates during cardiac surgery

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 154; no. 3; pp. 375 - 383
• Main Authors: Mancebo, E., Clemente, J., Sanchez, J., Ruiz‐Contreras, J., De Pablos, P., Cortezon, S., Romo, E., Paz‐Artal, E., Allende, L. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2008; Blackwell; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; cardiac surgery; Follow-Up Studies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Heart Defects, Congenital - surgery; Humans; IL‐7; Immunity, Cellular; Immunoglobulins - blood; Immunophenotyping; Infant, Newborn; Interleukin-7 - blood; Lymphocyte Count; Lymphopenia - immunology; Postoperative Period; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell - genetics; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Thymectomy; Thymus Gland - immunology; Translational Studies; TRECS; Human; Cytokine; Biochemistry; Cardiac surgery; Immunity; IL-7; Interleukin 7; TRECS; Newborn; Thymectomy; Treatment; T cell receptor excision circle; Follow up study
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249; 1365-2249
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03771.x

Summary The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of neonatal thymectomy in the functional capacity of the immune system. We selected a group of 23 subjects, who had undergone thymectomy in their first 30 days of life, during an intervention for congenital heart disease. Several parameters of the immune system were evaluated during their first 3 years of life. Lymphocyte populations and subpopulations (including naive, memory and effector subpopulations), T cell receptor (TCR) Vβ repertoire, response of T cells following in vitro stimulation by mitogen, quantification of immunoglobulins, TCR excision circles (TRECS) and interleukin (IL)‐7 were measured. We found that neonatal thymectomy produces long‐term diminution in total lymphocyte counts, especially in naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Additionally, TRECS were decreased, and plasma IL‐7 levels increased. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between absolute CD4+ T cells and IL‐7 (r = −0·470, P = 0·02). The patients did not suffer more infectious events than healthy control children, but thymectomy in neonates resulted in a significant decrease in T lymphocyte levels and TRECS, consistent with cessation of thymopoiesis. This could produce a compromise in immune function later in life, especially if the patients suffer T cell depletion and need a reconstitution of immune function.