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Characterization of T-cell population in children with prolonged fetal exposure to dexamethasone for anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies associated congenital heart block

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy, airo{at}bresciareumatologia.it

M Scarsi

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

A Brucato

Department of Rheumatology, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy

T Benicchi

Laboratory Diagnostics, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

F Malacarne

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

I Cavazzana

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

E Danieli

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

M LiDestri

Department of Pediatrics, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy

M Motta

Department of Neonatology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

L Caimi

Laboratory Diagnostics, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

A Tincani

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

L Imberti

Laboratory Diagnostics, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

The objectives of the study were to characterize the production, function and survival of T lymphocytes of children with prolonged fetal exposure to dexamethasone for anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies associated congenital complete heart block. The analysis of thymic function, studied by measuring the level of T-cell receptor excision circles, was performed by real time PCR, the composition of T-cell subpopulation was evaluated by flow cytometry and the T-cell diversity was assayed by heteroduplex analysis. T-cell competence was gauged at two functional levels by determining the proliferation and the number of T-cell divisions and by measuring -interferon production after mitogenic stimulation. We observed that the thymic output, distribution of T-cell subsets, thymidine incorporation, number of T-cell divisions, and -interferon production were comparable to those of age-matched control. On the contrary, heteroduplex analysis demonstrated the presence of both polyclonal and oligoclonal peripheral T-cell repertoires.

In conclusion, the analysis of the T-cell compartment in children with prolonged intrauterine exposure to high dose dexamethasone did not disclose any relevant abnormality, except a restriction of T-cell receptor diversity in some patients.

Key Words: congenital complete heart block • dexamethasone • T lymphocytes • TRECs

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