Refined characterization and reference values of the pediatric T- and B-cell compartments.
Clin Immunol 2009;
133:95-107. [PMID:
19586803 DOI:
10.1016/j.clim.2009.05.020]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2008] [Revised: 05/21/2009] [Accepted: 05/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Work in the past years has led to a refined phenotypical description of functionally distinct T- and B-cell subsets. Since both lymphocyte compartments are established and undergo dramatic changes during childhood, redefined pediatric reference values of both compartments are needed. In a cohort of 145 healthy children, aged 0-18 years, the relative and absolute numbers of the various T- and B-cell subsets were determined. In addition, we found that besides thymic output, naive (CD27(+)CD45RO(-)) T-cell proliferation contributed significantly to the establishment of the naive T-cell compartment. At birth, regulatory (CD25(+)CD127(-)CD4(+)) T cells (Tregs) mainly had a naive (CD27(+)CD45RO(-)) phenotype whereas 'memory or effector-like' (CD45RO(+)) Tregs accumulated slowly during childhood. Besides the CD27(+)IgM(+)IgD(+) memory B-cell population, the recently identified CD27(-)IgG(+) and CD27(-)IgA(+) memory B-cell populations were already present at birth. These data provide reference values of the T- and B-cell compartments during childhood for studies of immunological disorders or immune reconstitution in children.
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