title: Analysis of lymphocyte proliferative response subpopulations in very low birth weight infants and during the first 8 weeks of life.
abstract: Cell-mediated immunity is not well characterized in very low birth weight infants, and abnormalities may represent a significant vulnerability to infection. This report describes 165 serial studies in 58 infants between 700 and 1300 g birth weight during the first 8 wk of life. Two ml of blood were drawn at 2-wk intervals to measure T cell numbers and subsets and response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Overall, lymphocyte proliferation to PHA averaged 17,264 cpm, significantly less than the adult control (23,566 cpm). T cell numbers and subsets were CD3 62% (adult controls 75%), CD4 45% (49%), and CD8 18.6% (27%). Values at birth were lower as all parameters increased for at least the first 4 wk of life: PHA at birth was 15,464 cpm, CD3 48%, CD4 37%, and CD8 13%. Because of the lymphocytosis of premature infants, the absolute numbers of total T cells and subsets were within the normal adult range despite less than 50% of the mononuclear cells at birth being T cells. A study of five infants demonstrated an average of 52% B7+ cells at birth showing that the number of B cells at birth was increased approximately 10-fold over the control number in adults. Clinical correlation showed that the increases in both the % CD8 and the absolute number of CD8+ lymphocytes after birth were correlated with both the occurrence of sepsis and the assessed lymphocyte subsets in a sizeable number of very low birth weight infants serially during the first 8 wk of life including lymphocyte function using isolated mononuclear cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cornell University Medical Center, New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bussel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Rundles
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: LaGamma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shellabarger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins