Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination, thymic size, and thymic output in healthy newborns
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Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination, thymic size, and thymic output in healthy newborns. / Birk, Nina Marie; Nissen, Thomas Nørrelykke; Zingmark, Vera; Kjærgaard, Jesper; Thøstesen, Lisbeth Marianne; Kofoed, Poul-Erik; Stensballe, Lone Graff; Andersen, Andreas; Nielsen, Susanne Dam; Benn, Christine Stabell; Pryds, Ole; Jeppesen, Dorthe Lisbeth.
I: Pediatric Research, Bind 81, Nr. 6, 06.2017, s. 873-880.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination, thymic size, and thymic output in healthy newborns
AU - Birk, Nina Marie
AU - Nissen, Thomas Nørrelykke
AU - Zingmark, Vera
AU - Kjærgaard, Jesper
AU - Thøstesen, Lisbeth Marianne
AU - Kofoed, Poul-Erik
AU - Stensballe, Lone Graff
AU - Andersen, Andreas
AU - Nielsen, Susanne Dam
AU - Benn, Christine Stabell
AU - Pryds, Ole
AU - Jeppesen, Dorthe Lisbeth
PY - 2017/6
Y1 - 2017/6
N2 - BACKGROUND: The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) has been associated with beneficial nonspecific effects on infant health. We aimed to examine the effect of BCG at birth on thymic size and the associations between thymic output, circulating lymphocytes, risk of infection, and thymic size.METHODS: In infants randomized to BCG or no BCG, thymic index (TI), and thymic/weight index (TWI) were measured by ultrasound at birth and at the age of 3 mo. T cell subpopulations including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) were assessed by flow cytometry. Infections up to age 3 mo were parent-reported.RESULTS: BCG vaccination did not affect thymic size at age 3 mo, measured as TI. At birth, the number of lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and RTEs were positively associated with TI and TWI. Furthermore, a reduced risk of infections up to age 3 mo was associated with a large thymic size at birth.CONCLUSION: We found no effect of BCG vaccination on thymic size. The positive association between thymic output, lymphocytes, reduced risk of infections, and TI/TWI suggests that assessment of TI/TWI by ultrasound may be a predictor of the immunological capacity in the newborn.
AB - BACKGROUND: The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) has been associated with beneficial nonspecific effects on infant health. We aimed to examine the effect of BCG at birth on thymic size and the associations between thymic output, circulating lymphocytes, risk of infection, and thymic size.METHODS: In infants randomized to BCG or no BCG, thymic index (TI), and thymic/weight index (TWI) were measured by ultrasound at birth and at the age of 3 mo. T cell subpopulations including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) were assessed by flow cytometry. Infections up to age 3 mo were parent-reported.RESULTS: BCG vaccination did not affect thymic size at age 3 mo, measured as TI. At birth, the number of lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and RTEs were positively associated with TI and TWI. Furthermore, a reduced risk of infections up to age 3 mo was associated with a large thymic size at birth.CONCLUSION: We found no effect of BCG vaccination on thymic size. The positive association between thymic output, lymphocytes, reduced risk of infections, and TI/TWI suggests that assessment of TI/TWI by ultrasound may be a predictor of the immunological capacity in the newborn.
KW - Journal Article
U2 - 10.1038/pr.2017.27
DO - 10.1038/pr.2017.27
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28157835
VL - 81
SP - 873
EP - 880
JO - Pediatric Research
JF - Pediatric Research
SN - 0031-3998
IS - 6
ER -
ID: 186481481