Adenoid lymphocyte heterogeneity in pediatric adenoid hypertrophy and obstructive sleep apnea

Yaxin Zhu; Shengming Wang; Yingchao Yang; Bojun Shen; Anzhao Wang; Xiaoman Zhang; Xiaoxu Zhang; Niannian Li; Zhenfei Gao; Yuenan Liu; Jingyu Zhu; Zhicheng Wei; Jian Guan; Kaiming Su; Feng Liu; Meizhen Gu; Shankai Yin

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1186258

Adenoid lymphocyte heterogeneity in pediatric adenoid hypertrophy and obstructive sleep apnea

Front Immunol. 2023 May 22:14:1186258. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1186258. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Center of Sleep Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Adenoid hypertrophy is the main cause of obstructive sleep apnea in children. Previous studies have suggested that pathogenic infections and local immune system disorders in the adenoids are associated with adenoid hypertrophy. The abnormalities in the number and function of various lymphocyte subsets in the adenoids may play a role in this association. However, changes in the proportion of lymphocyte subsets in hypertrophic adenoids remain unclear.

Methods: To identify patterns of lymphocyte subsets in hypertrophic adenoids, we used multicolor flow cytometry to analyze the lymphocyte subset composition in two groups of children: the mild to moderate hypertrophy group (n = 10) and the severe hypertrophy group (n = 5).

Results: A significant increase in naïve lymphocytes and a decrease in effector lymphocytes were found in severe hypertrophic adenoids.

Discussion: This finding suggests that abnormal lymphocyte differentiation or migration may contribute to the development of adenoid hypertrophy. Our study provides valuable insights and clues into the immunological mechanism underlying adenoid hypertrophy.

Keywords: B cells; T cells; adenoid hypertrophy; multicolor flow cytometry; obstructive sleep apnea.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adenoids*
Child
Humans
Hypertrophy
Lymphocyte Count
Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive*

Grants and funding

SY was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2021ZD0201900), Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipal (Grant No.18DZ2260200) and Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (2017-01-07-00-02-E00047). FL was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81971240). KS was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81974142). MG was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82071029).