Effect of thymectomy on cellular immune function
Qing Cao1, Meng Yin2, Yunfang Zhou1, Jinfen Liu2, Kun Sun3, Biru Li1
1
Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai JiaoTong University Affiliated Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai 200127, China; 2Department of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Shanghai JiaoTong University Affiliated Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai 200127, China; 3Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Shanghai JiaoTong University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai 200092, China
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- 1. Abstract
- 2. Introduction
- 3. Materials and methods
- 3.1.1. Classification
- 3.1.2. Exclusion criteria
- 3.2. Observing indexAnalytical methods
- 3.3.1. Detection of T lymphocytes subsets
3.3.2. Proliferative experiment of lymphocytes
- 3.3.3. Detection of IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-2
- 3.3.4. Measurement of relative amount of sjTREC 3.3.4.1. Design and Synthesis of the Primer and Probe 3.3.4.2. The Reconstruction of TA Clone
- 3.3.4.3. Establishment of Standard Curve
- 3.3.4.4. PCR Amplification
- 3.3.4.5. Calculation of the Relative Number of sjTREC in Samples
- 3.4. Statistical analysis
4. Results
4.1. Change of peripheral blood T lymphocytes subsets in CHD patients in 1 month after surgery
4.2. Lymphocyte Proliferation experiment
4.3. Detection of IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-2
4.4. Examination of sjTREC level in each group and correlation analysis
- 4.4.1. Comparison of the Expression Level of sjTREC Gene before Surgery for Children in Four Groups
- 4.4.2. Comparison of the Expression Level of sjTRECs Gene before and after Thymectomy
4.5. Respiratory infections in every group 1 year after surgery
5. Discussion
6. Acknowledgements
7. References
1. ABSTRACT
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of thymectomy during open heart surgery on immunological function of T lymphocytes in the treatment of children with congenital heart disease (CHD). No significant difference was found in the sjTREC level between pre-thymectomy and post- thymectomy in the non-thymectomy group and the small partial resection group (P>0.05) However, the sjTREC level decreased from the pre-surgical level at 1 month (P<0.01) and 12 months (P<0.01) in the sub-total resection group. No differences were found in proportions of CD3, CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, proliferative ability of lymphocytes and expression of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-γ after surgery between controls and three groups of patients (P>0.05 ). In the sub-total resection group, respiratory infection frequency (4.7±1.7 times) did not differ significantly from control group one year after surgery (P>0.05); however, mean days of anti-infection were significantly increased (P<0.01). In conclusion, sub-total thymectomy leads to a decrease in the sjTREC level in CHD children, whereas the function of peripheral mature T lymphocytes is normal.
