Comparison of Human Neonatal and Adult Blood Leukocyte Subset Composition Phenotypes

PLoS One. 2016 Sep 9;11(9):e0162242. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162242. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The human peripheral leukocyte subset composition depends on genotype variation and pre-natal and post-natal environmental influence diversity. We quantified this composition in adults and neonates, and compared the median values and dispersal ranges of various subsets in them. We confirmed higher frequencies of monocytes and regulatory T cells (Tregs), similar frequencies of neutrophils, and lower frequencies of CD8 T cells, NKT cells, B1 B cells and gamma-delta T cells in neonatal umbilical cord blood. Unlike previous reports, we found higher frequencies of eosinophils and B cells, higher CD4:CD8 ratios, lower frequencies of T cells and iNKT cells, and similar frequencies of CD4 T cells and NK cells in neonates. We characterized monocyte subsets and dendritic cell (DC) subsets in far greater detail than previously reported, using recently described surface markers and gating strategies and observed that neonates had lower frequencies of patrolling monocytes and lower myeloid dendritic cell (mDC):plasmacytoid DC (pDC) ratios. Our data contribute to South Asian reference values for these parameters. We found that dispersal ranges differ between different leukocyte subsets, suggesting differential determination of variation. Further, some subsets were more dispersed in adults than in neonates suggesting influences of postnatal sources of variation, while some show the opposite pattern suggesting influences of developmental process variation. Together, these data and analyses provide interesting biological possibilities for future exploration.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aging / immunology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by grants from the Department of Biotechnology (to AG # BT/PR12849/MED/15/35/2009; to VB # BT/PR14420/Med/29/213/2010; to SR # BT/PR-14592/BRB/10/858/2010; to SB BT/MB/01/THSTI-ChBC/2009; and to UCMN # BT/PR14723/MED/15/44/2010), and from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (to VB # SR/SO/HS-0005/2011 and #EMR/2015/001074; to SR # SB/SO/HS/210/2013). The National Institute of Immunology and the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute are supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.