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Increased Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Production in Down syndrome Children Upon Stimulation with Live Influenza A Virus

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Abstract

Purpose

Children with down syndrome (DS) have an increased susceptibility to infections, due to altered humoral and/or cellular immunity. The aim of this study was to determine the cytokine production in whole blood of children with DS upon stimulation with live influenza A virus.

Methods

Whole blood of 61 children with DS and 57 of their healthy siblings was stimulated with 2.5 × 104 TCID50/ml influenza A virus during 6, 24, and 48 h. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IFN-α, IFN-γ concentrations, and viral load were measured at all time points.

Results

At most of the time points, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 concentrations were significantly higher in children with DS following stimulation with live influenza A virus. IFN-α and IFN-γ levels were also significantly higher in the DS group. Viral clearance, however, was equal in both groups.

Conclusions

Children with DS have an altered immune response to influenza A virus. The production of higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines may be responsible for a more severe clinical course of viral disease in these children.

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Abbreviations

DS:

Down syndrome

RTI:

Respiratory tract infection

RSV:

Respiratory syncytial virus

TCID50 :

Median tissue culture infective dose

PBS:

Phosphate-buffered saline

SEM:

Standard error of the mean

TLR:

Toll-like receptor

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Jacqueline Cloos, Petra van den Pangaart, and Eva Brandse for their excellent advice and technical support.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081, HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Chantal J. M. Broers, Reinoud J. B. J. Gemke & Michel E. Weijerman

  2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Koen F. van der Sluijs

  3. Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    A. Marceline van Furth

Authors
  1. Chantal J. M. Broers
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  2. Reinoud J. B. J. Gemke
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  3. Michel E. Weijerman
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  4. Koen F. van der Sluijs
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  5. A. Marceline van Furth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chantal J. M. Broers.

Additional information

The study has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have been performed in accordance with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

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Broers, C.J.M., Gemke, R.J.B.J., Weijerman, M.E. et al. Increased Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Production in Down syndrome Children Upon Stimulation with Live Influenza A Virus. J Clin Immunol 32, 323–329 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-011-9625-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-011-9625-4

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