Two-color flow cytometric analysis of natural killer and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of normal human neonates.
It has been demonstrated that normal human newborns had significantly lower percentages of CD8+, CD11b+, CD16+ and CD56+, compared to adults, while no differences had been noted for the absolute numbers of these cells. Both the proportions and absolute numbers of CD57+ lymphocytes and cytotoxic T cells that mediate non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity (CD3+CD56+) were markedly reduced in neonatal blood. Mean proportions but not absolute numbers of precursors and effectors of allocytotoxic T cells (CD8+CD11b-) significantly decreased in human neonates. Dual-labeling experiments demonstrated that newborns' natural killer cells had a phenotype different from that of adults. In newborns, there were much higher levels of CD11b+ cells, much lower levels of CD57+ cells and similar levels of CD8+ lymphocytes among CD16+ lymphocytes. It seems that a phenotype immaturity of natural killer cells may contribute to the diminished cytotoxic potential of neonatal lymphocytes.
Slukvin
I I
II
Department of Immunology, Kiev Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ukraine.
Chernishov
V P
VP
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers