Impaired histomorphology might provoke cell cycle regulators alteration in thymus of children with various congenital heart defects

Mestanova, Veronika; Varga, Ivan; Adamkov, Marián

doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109599

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Our findings on thymic atrophy are supported by prior reports describing histomorphological alterations in the thymi of CHD patients. Specifically, patients with cyanotic CHD exhibited changes in Hassall’s corpuscles, cortical starry sky appearance, effacement of the corticomedullary junction, and cortical thinning, all features of thymus involution, and attributed to thymocyte loss [ 56 – 58 ]. Our study provides new insights on thymic atrophy in patients with complex CHD at the cellular level, supporting the described histomorphological features by demonstrating the pronounced loss of DP cells.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thymic Atrophy and Immune Dysregulation in Infants with Complex Congenital Heart Disease

Bremer,

Boxnick,

Glau

et al. 2024

J Clin Immunol

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Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, and up to 50% of infants with CHD require cardiovascular surgery early in life. Current clinical practice often involves thymus resection during cardiac surgery, detrimentally affecting T-cell immunity. However, epidemiological data indicate that CHD patients face an elevated risk for infections and immune-mediated diseases, independent of thymectomy. Hence, we examined whether the cardiac defect impacts thymus function in individuals with CHD. We investigated thymocyte development in 58 infants categorized by CHD complexity. To assess the relationship between CHD complexity and thymic function, we analyzed T-cell development, thymic output, and biomarkers linked to cardiac defects, stress, or inflammation. Patients with highly complex CHD exhibit thymic atrophy, resulting in low frequencies of recent thymic emigrants in peripheral blood, even prior to thymectomy. Elevated plasma cortisol levels were detected in all CHD patients, while high NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels were associated with thymic atrophy. Our findings reveal an association between complex CHD and thymic atrophy, resulting in reduced thymic output. Consequently, thymus preservation during cardiovascular surgery could significantly enhance immune function and the long-term health of CHD patients.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%