Reduced Capacity of Neonatal T Lymphocytes to Produce IL-2 and IFN-γ
| . | Cord Blood (n = 20) . | Adult Blood (n = 34) . | P Value* . |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL-2 producing cells (%) | 17 (13-26) | 34 (28-37) | <.0001 |
| IL-2 expression per cell (MFI) | 8 (7-9) | 14 (12-15) | <.0001 |
| IFN-γ producing cells (%) | 4 (3-5) | 18 (14-20) | <.0001 |
| IFN-γ expression per cell (MFI) | 3.5 (3-4) | 12 (10-15) | <.0001 |
| . | Cord Blood (n = 20) . | Adult Blood (n = 34) . | P Value* . |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL-2 producing cells (%) | 17 (13-26) | 34 (28-37) | <.0001 |
| IL-2 expression per cell (MFI) | 8 (7-9) | 14 (12-15) | <.0001 |
| IFN-γ producing cells (%) | 4 (3-5) | 18 (14-20) | <.0001 |
| IFN-γ expression per cell (MFI) | 3.5 (3-4) | 12 (10-15) | <.0001 |
Values are expressed as the median of cytokine producing cells (%) and the cytokine expression per cell (mean fluorescence intensity [MFI]), with the interquartile range in parentheses. After stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin, the production of IL-2 and IFN-γ is significantly lower in cord blood than in adult blood lymphocytes analyzed at the single-cell level by flow cytometry.
Statistical differences comparing the two groups were tested by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test.