title: QUANTITATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY OF THE HUMAN THYMUS CORRELATE WITH INFANT CAUSE OF DEATH.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate and quantify the morphological and molecular changes in the thymus for common causes of human infant death. Thymic architecture and molecular changes apparent in human infant head trauma victims were assessed by microscopy and quantified by image analysis of digital whole slide images. Thymuses from victims of SIDS and suffocated infants displaying normal thymus architecture were used for comparison. Molecular expression of proliferation and serotonin receptor and transporter protein markers was evaluated. Duplicate morphological and molecular studies of rodent thymuses were completed with both mouse and rat models. Quantification of novel parameters of digital images of thymuses from human infants suffering mortal head trauma revealed a disruption of the corticomedullary organization of the thymus, particularly involving dissolution of the corticomedullary border. A similar result was obtained for related mouse and rat models. The human thymuses from head trauma cases also displayed a higher percentage of Ki-67-positive thymocytes. Finally, we determined that thymus expression of the human serotonin receptor, and the serotonin transporter, occur almost exclusively in the thymic medulla. Head trauma leads to a disruption of the thymic, corticomedullary border, and molecular expression patterns in a robust and quantifiable manner.
authors.affiliation: Analytic Microscopy Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: Analytic Microscopy Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kalantarpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Niesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pennypacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA ; Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Bay Pines, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Citron
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Chaim G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Pick
authors.affiliation: Medical Examiner Department, Hillsborough County Government, Tampa, FL, USA ; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Vernard
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Mahasweta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Shyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohapatra
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA ; IHCFLOW, Inc., Lutz, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Hernani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cualing
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA ; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blanck
keywords: Head trauma; Infant; Quantitative pathology; Serotonin; Serotonin receptor; T-cells; Thymus gland