CD3+/TCRαβ and CD3+/TCRγδ lymphocytes in full term neonates with early-onset pneumonia – influence of perinatal risk factors

Bogdan Mazur

,

Jakub Behrendt

,

Beata Sadownik

,

Magdalena Torbus

The aim of the study was the evaluation of CD3+/TCRαβ and CD3+/TCRγδ lymphocytes in peripheral vein blood of full term eutrophic neonates with severe pneumonia The study comprised of 71 neonates: 46 neonates with pneumonia and 25 healthy ones Methods Immunological analysis was performed in the flow cytometer FACScan using anti-CD3, anti-TCRαβ and anti-TCRγδ monoclonal antibodies from Becton Dickinson Results It was found that the mean percentage of lymphocytes in pneumonic neonates was significantly higher than in the controls The mean number of these cells and the mean number and percentage of CD3+/TCRγδ lymphocytes in pneumonic neonates did not differ significantly from the values of these parameters in healthy neonates We also found that the mean number of CD3+/TCRγδ in sick neonates with perinatal risk factors was significantly higher than in pneumonic neonates without perinatal risk factors Conclusion 1 Early-onset pneumonia is the factor significantly increasing the percentage of CD3+/TCRαβ T lymphocytes in full-term neonates 2 Increase of the number of CD3+/TCRαβ T lymphocytes associated with presence of perinatal risk factors in full term pneumonic neonates provides important information about changes in cell-mediated immunity during the early neonatal period CD3+/TCRαβ lymphocytes, CD3+/TCRγδ lymphocytes, neonate, pneumonia, perinatal risk factors