Thymic volume in healthy, small for gestational age and growth restricted fetuses

Olearo, Elena; Oggè, Giovanna; Botta, Giovanni; Pace, Carlotta; Gaglioti, Pietro; Todros, Tullia

doi:10.1002/pd.3883

Cited by 42 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Thymic development occurs during the late fetal/early postnatal stages of mammalian growth (6) and is therefore acutely sensitive to changes in the early life environment (7). Prenatal undernutrition resulting in low birth weight has been associated with a decline in thymic and immune function in Filipino adolescents (8, 9) and this has been recapitulated in a cohort of low-birth weight Bangladeshi children (10, 11) as well as a cohort of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and intra-uterine growth restricted (IUGR) individuals (12). Thus, a suboptimal in-utero environment influences thymic development and this in turn may be mediated by maternal nutritional status.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A suboptimal maternal diet combined with accelerated postnatal growth results in an altered aging profile in the thymus of male rats

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Reduced fetal nutrition and rapid postnatal growth accelerates the aging phenotype in many organ systems; however, effects on the immune system are unclear. We addressed this by studying the thymus from a rat model of developmental programming. The recuperated group was generated by in utero protein restriction, followed by cross-fostering to control-fed mothers, and were then compared with controls. Fat infiltration and adipocyte size increased with age ( P < 0.001) and in recuperated thymi ( P < 0.05). Cortex/medulla ratio decreased with age ( P < 0.001) and decreased ( P < 0.05) in 12-mo recuperated thymi. Age-associated decreases in thymic-epithelial cell ( P < 0.01) and thymocyte markers ( P < 0.01) were observed in both groups and was decreased ( P < 0.05) in recuperated thymi. These data demonstrate effects of developmental programming upon thymic involution. The recuperated group had longer thymic telomeres than controls ( P < 0.001) at 22 d and at 3 mo, which was associated with increased expression of telomere-length maintenance molecules [telomerase RNA component ( Terc; P < 0.01), P23 ( P = 0.02), and Ku70 and Ku80 ( P < 0.01)]. By 12 mo, recuperated offspring had shorter thymic telomeres than controls had ( P < 0.001) and reduced DNA damage-response markers [( DNA-PKcs, Mre11 ( P < 0.01), Xrcc4 ( P = 0.02), and γ-H2ax ( P < 0.001], suggesting failure of earlier compensatory responses. Our results suggest that low birth weight with rapid postnatal growth results in premature thymic maturation, resulting in accelerated thymic aging. This could lead to increased age-associated vulnerability to infection.-Tarry-Adkins, J. L., Aiken, C. E., Ashmore, T. J., Fernandez-Twinn, D. S., Chen, J.-H., Ozanne, S. E. A suboptimal maternal diet combined with accelerated postnatal growth results in an altered aging profile in the thymus of male rats.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A suboptimal maternal diet combined with accelerated postnatal growth results in an altered aging profile in the thymus of male rats

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…7 The study of Cromi et al 10 included 60 patients with FGR fetuses and 60 control group appropriate for -gestational age fetuses in two academic hospitals (University of Insubria and University of Verona), which revealed that proportion of fetuses with thymus perimeter < 5 th % for gestational age was significantly higher in FGR compared with controls (58/60 vs. 7/60). Similarly, in Olearo et al, 11 studies revealed that fetal thymus volumes with birth weight andan abdominal circumference below the 10th percentile were significantly lower in comparison to healthy controls.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Fetal thymus size evaluation using two-dimensional ultrasound in co-relation to fetal biometry as a sensitive parameter change in pregnancies complicated with fetal growth restriction (FGR)

Thabet

Elsorougy

2018

The Egypt. J. of Fert.y of Steri.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: Fetal thymus size evaluation through measuring its ultrasonographic maximum transverse diameter, in relation to fetal biometry changes in pregnancies complicated with FGR.Methods: Our study included 66 singleton pregnancies with intact membranes, aged (18 to 40 y) between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation with FGR,Patients with fetal or maternal infections, chromosomal or fetal congenital anomalies, or IUFD and patients start labor were excluded. All patientsunderwentultrasound evaluation weekly during the third trimester after history taking; examination and lab investigation were performed, where measurements of themaximum transverse diameter of the fetal thymus and fetal biometry (BPD percentile,FL percentile, AC percentile,EFW percentile,and Single deepest vertical pocket) were obtained. The small thymus was defined as a thymus perimeter ≤ 5 th percentile according to a fetal thymus nomogram, then Patients were classified into 2 groupsaccording to whether they had a small transverse thymus diameter (< 5 th %) or normal transverse thymus diameter (> 5 th %).The co-relation between fetal thymus size, obstetric history and fetal biometry changes by ultrasonography were performed. Results:The sixty-six FGR pregnancies were classified to 55 patients with thymus diameter less than 5 th percentile and 11 patients with thymus diameter more than 5 th percentile. The co-relation between thymus diameter less and more than 5 th percentile and obstetric history showed that no statistically significant difference as regarding history of abortion, history of stillbirth, history of preterm labor and history of IUGR but there was statistically significant difference as regarding gestational age (GA) mean at enrollment (32.04 ± 2.7 vs. 36.5 ± 1.04) meaning IUGR fetuses with a thymus diameter <5 th % presented lower GA at enrollment. The correlation between thymus diameter and fetal biometry shows a highly significant positive correlation between thymus transverse diameter and FL, AC, EFW, and AF vertical pocket but non-significant correlation as regards BPD in all cases of both groups.The comparison between thymus diameters less and more than 5 th percentile in relation to fetal ultrasonic biometry showed that no statistically significant difference as regarding BPD mean percentile and FL mean percentile, on other hand, AC and EFW mean percentiles were statistically significantly higher among IUGR fetuses with normal thymus diameter (>5 th percentile) [3.2 ± 2.7 vs. 6.6 ± 2.2 & 3.06 ± 2.6 vs. 6.09 ± 2.5]. 90.91% of IUGR fetuses with normal thymus diameter (>5 th percentile) have adequate amniotic fluid as estimated by single deepest vertical pocket versus 34.55% of IUGR fetuses with thymus diameter <5 th percentile with a statistically significant difference. All IUGR fetuses with oligohydramnios (n=20) had small thymus < 5 th %. Conclusion:There is a highlypositive correlation between thymus transversediameter and AC, EFW, and AF vertical pocket inpregnancies complicated with FGR.

show abstract

“…18 The ratio between the thymus volume and the abdominal circumference was evaluated in healthy fetuses as well as small-for-gestational-age and intrauterine growth-restricted fetuses. 19 The authors of that study found that intrauterine growth-restricted fetuses with abnormal umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms had the most extreme reductions in thymus volume. They did not show their measurements results, so we cannot compare our results to theirs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Abnormal thymus function was found in small‐for‐gestational‐age neonates, and thymic atrophy is one of the most important pathologic findings in “asymmetric” intrauterine growth restriction 18 . The ratio between the thymus volume and the abdominal circumference was evaluated in healthy fetuses as well as small‐for‐gestational‐age and intrauterine growth‐restricted fetuses 19 . The authors of that study found that intrauterine growth‐restricted fetuses with abnormal umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms had the most extreme reductions in thymus volume.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fetal Thymus Volume Estimation by Virtual Organ Computer‐Aided Analysis in Normal Pregnancies

Bertucci

Weissmann-Brenner

et al. 2015

J of Ultrasound Medicine

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Thymic volume in healthy, small for gestational age and growth restricted fetuses

Abstract: The differences in TV/AC between constitutional SGA and IUGR with abnormal umbilical FVW suggest that, in the latter, a specific 'trigger' might compromise trophoblastic invasion and thymic development; however, some kind of alteration of the immune system might occur in all SGA fetuses.

Cited by 42 publications

References 43 publications

A suboptimal maternal diet combined with accelerated postnatal growth results in an altered aging profile in the thymus of male rats

A suboptimal maternal diet combined with accelerated postnatal growth results in an altered aging profile in the thymus of male rats

Fetal thymus size evaluation using two-dimensional ultrasound in co-relation to fetal biometry as a sensitive parameter change in pregnancies complicated with fetal growth restriction (FGR)

Fetal Thymus Volume Estimation by Virtual Organ Computer‐Aided Analysis in Normal Pregnancies

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About