Abnormal immunological development in fetuses with trisomy 18.
Flow cytometry was used to enumerate the lymphocyte subpopulations in fetal blood obtained by cordocentesis from eight trisomy 18 fetuses at 20-36 weeks' gestation. Compared with values in chromosomally normal fetuses, in trisomy 18 the mean T- and natural killer (NK) cell counts were significantly lower (t = -7.63, P < 0.001 and t = -3.58, P < 0.01, respectively); the mean B-cell count was not significantly different (t = -1.32). These findings demonstrate that in trisomy 18 there is abnormal intrauterine development of the immune system.
Makrydimas
G
G
Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital School of Medicine, London, U.K.
Plachouras
N
N
Thilaganathan
B
B
Nicolaides
K H
KH
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000276:immunology; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D014314:Trisomy / Q000276:immunology*