Age-related cytokine imbalance in the thymus in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been considered to be triggered by a combination of underlying immune dysregulation and infections. The thymus is a crucial lymphatic organ responsible for T cell development in infancy. We hypothesized that an altered thymic immune status may be detectable by intrathymic cytokine profiling in SIDS.

Methods

27 cytokines in protein lysates of thymus tissue and thymus weights were assessed in 26 SIDS cases and 16 infants who died of other reasons.

Results

Seventeen out of 27 cytokines were increased in thymic tissue of SIDS compared to controls without infections, and the most significant discrepancy was in infants younger than 20 weeks. The thymic cytokine profiles in SIDS cases were similar to those in controls with s

SUBMITTER: Qu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10920197 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature