Long-term effects of perinatal nutrition on T lymphocyte kinetics in young Gambian men.
BACKGROUND
Nutritional status is highly dependent on season in countries such as The Gambia. In a rural Gambian setting, individuals born during periods of seasonal nutritional deprivation ("hungry seasons") are susceptible to mortality from infectious diseases in adult life.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the hypothesis that impaired immunocompetence in those born in the hungry season results from an underlying defect in immunologic memory, similar to the immunosenescence of old age, which is likely to be reflected in the phenotype and kinetics of T lymphocytes in young adults.


METHODS
T cell phenotype in terms of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RA, and CD45R0 expression and in vivo dynamics measured by stable isotope labeling of T cell subsets combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and frequency of T cell receptor excision circles were measured in 25 young (18-24-y-old) Gambian men. Thirteen of these 25 men were exposed to perinatal malnutrition as defined by birth season and birth weight.


RESULTS
In persons born in the hungry season with low birth weight, no differences in the proportions of memory or naive T cells were found. Kinetic analysis showed higher proliferation rates in memory (CD45R0(+)) subsets of T cells than in naïve (CD45R0(-)) cells, which is consistent with previous studies, but no evidence was found for an effect of birth weight or season on T lymphocyte proliferation and disappearance rates. No significant correlations were found between in vivo T cell kinetics and frequency of T cell receptor excision circles. Only absolute numbers of granulocytes were elevated in those born in the nutritionally deprived season.


CONCLUSIONS
In healthy young Gambian men, T lymphocyte homeostasis is extremely robust regardless of perinatal nutritional compromise.
Ghattas
Hala
H
Centre for Infection, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Wallace
Diana L
DL
Solon
Juan A
JA
Henson
Sian M
SM
Zhang
Yan
Y
Ngom
Pa T
PT
Aspinall
Richard
R
Morgan
Gareth
G
Griffin
George E
GE
Prentice
Andrew M
AM
Macallan
Derek C
DC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005714:Gambia; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000276:immunology*; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000276:immunology*; D012621:Seasons; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*