Natural killer cells and innate lymphoid cells but not NKT cells are mature in their cytokine production at birth.

ABSTRACT: Early life is a time of increased susceptibility to infectious diseases and development of allergy. Innate lymphocytes are crucial components of the initiation and regulation of immune responses at mucosal surfaces, but functional differences in innate lymphocytes early in life are not fully described. We aimed to characterise the abundance and function of different innate lymphocyte cell populations in cord blood in comparison to that of adults. Blood was collected from adult donors and umbilical vessels at birth. Multicolour flow cytometry panels were used to identify and characterise lymphocyte populations and their capacity to produce hallmark cytokines. Lymphocytes were more abundant in cord blood compared to adults, however, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and Natural Kil

SUBMITTER: Swieboda D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10776247 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature