UNLABELLED: DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) presents with a wide spectrum of thymic pathologies. Nationwide neonatal screening programs of lymphocyte production using T-cell recombination excision circles (TREC) have repeatedly identified patients with DGS. We tested what proportion of DGS patients could be identified at birth by combined TREC and kappa-deleting element recombination circle (KREC) screening. Furthermore, we followed TREC/KREC levels in peripheral blood (PB) to monitor postnatal changes in lymphocyte production. METHODS: TREC/KREC copies were assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and were related to the albumin control gene in dry blood spots (DBSs) from control (n = 56), severe immunodeficiency syndrome (SCID, n = 10) and DGS (n = 13) newborns. PB was evaluated in DGS children (n = 32), in diagnostic samples from SCID babies (n = 5) and in 91 controls. RESULTS: All but one DGS patient had TREC levels in the normal range at birth, albeit quantitative TREC values were significantly lower in the DGS cohort. One patient had slightly reduced KREC at birth. Postnatal DGS samples revealed reduced TREC numbers in 5 of 32 (16%) patients, whereas KREC copy numbers were similar to controls. Both TREC and KREC levels showed a more pronounced decrease with age in DGS patients than in controls (p < 0.0001 for both in a linear model). DGS patients had higher percentages of NK cells at the expense of T cells (p < 0.0001). The patients with reduced TREC levels had repeated infections in infancy and developed allergy and/or autoimmunity, but they were not strikingly different from other patients. In 12 DGS patients with paired DBS and blood samples, the TREC/KREC levels were mostly stable or increased and showed similar kinetics in respective patients. CONCLUSIONS: The combined TREC/KREC approach with correction via control gene identified 1 of 13 (8%) of DiGeorge syndrome patients at birth in our cohort. The majority of patients had TREC/KREC levels in the normal range.

• MeSH
• biotest MeSH
• DiGeorgeův syndrom diagnóza   genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• kruhová DNA genetika   MeSH
• kultivované buňky MeSH
• kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• novorozenecký screening * MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• syndromy imunologické nedostatečnosti diagnóza   genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• T-lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• těžká kombinovaná imunodeficience diagnóza   genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kruhová DNA MeSH

AIM: Circular DNA segments TREC (T-cell receptor excision circles) formed during T-lymphocyte maturation in the thymus, are a sensitive marker of thymic lymphocyte production in a broader manner. Quantification using qPCR is proposed as a surrogate marker of T cell malfunction in various primary and secondary conditions in a non-SCID selected risk newborn population. METHODS: We collected 207 dry blood spot samples during the years 2015-2018, from newly admitted risk newborns. TREC values calculated per 106 cells were determined and a cut-off values of 5th percentile was set. The positive control group consisted of patients (n=13) with genetically confirmed SCID. RESULTS: The median TREC value was 34,591.56 (18,074.08-60,228.58) for girls resp. 28,391.20 (13,835.01-51,835.93) per 106 cells for boys, P=0.046. Neonates born by C-section have been found to have higher TREC levels compared to neonates born by spontaneous delivery (P=0.018). In the group of preterm newborns (n=104), 3.8% had TREC value < 5th percentile, half of them died due to sepsis as opposed to no fatalities in preterm newborns with sepsis and TREC value > 5th percentile. In the group of term newborns (n=103) 9 children (8.7%) had TREC < 5th percentile, half of them were treated for asphyxia, with no fatal complications. CONCLUSION: TREC levels calculated for the 5th percentile of a risk neonatal group is suggested as a surrogate marker for increased risk of fatal septic complication. Early recognition of these newborns within a risk scoring system using TREC levels could lead to potentially lifesaving interventions.

• Klíčová slova
• SCID, TREC, immunodeficiency, newborn screening, risk neonates,
• MeSH
• intenzivní péče o novorozence MeSH
• kruhová DNA MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfopenie MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• receptory antigenů T-buněk genetika   MeSH
• T-lymfocyty * imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kruhová DNA MeSH
• receptory antigenů T-buněk MeSH

Initiation of newborn screening (NBS) programs in Europe dates back to the 1960s. One of the most recent expansions of NBS programs was the addition of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) based on detection of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs). In this review, we present an overview of the current situation in Europe. To avoid a biased overview based on only published results, a 37-item survey on TREC-based NBS was sent to representatives of 46 European countries. With a response rate of 83%, we collected data of 38 countries. Seventeen of the 38 European countries that have completed the survey have nationally or regionally implemented TREC-based NBS. The survey results emphasize similarities and differences as well as common practices and challenges in TREC-based NBS. Because TRECs are a general surrogate marker for severe T lymphocytopenia, conditions other than SCID are also identified. Therefore, the initial definition of the target disease as "SCID" might need to be reconsidered and extended to "SCID and severe T lymphocytopenia." Even though complete harmonization of TREC-based NBS programs across Europe will remain challenging, collaboration and close partnerships will help in the move toward universal TREC-based screening for all newborns, resulting in more infants with SCID and severe T lymphocytopenia being detected each year.

• Klíčová slova
• Europe, IEI, NBS, Newborn screening, SCID, TREC, inborn errors of immunity, severe T lymphocytopenia, severe combined immunodeficiency,
• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfopenie * diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• novorozenecký screening * metody   MeSH
• receptory antigenů T-buněk genetika   MeSH
• T-lymfocyty * imunologie   MeSH
• těžká kombinovaná imunodeficience * diagnóza   epidemiologie   genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• receptory antigenů T-buněk MeSH

PURPOSE: PFAPA syndrome is a benign, recurrent inflammatory disease of childhood. Tonsillectomy is one of the therapeutic options with a yet unexplained biological mechanism. We tested whether specific lymphocyte subsets recruited from blood to human tonsils participate in PFAPA pathogenesis. METHODS: Paired tonsils/peripheral blood (PB) samples were investigated (a) from children with PFAPA that successfully resolved after tonsillectomy (n=10) (b) from children with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome as controls (n=10). The lymphocyte profiles were analysed using 8-colour flow cytometry, immunoglobulin (IGH) and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements via PCR and next generation sequencing; a TREC/KREC analysis was performed using qPCR. RESULTS: The PFAPA tonsils in the asymptomatic phase had a lower percentage of B-lymphocytes than controls; T-lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in PB. The percentages of cytotoxic CD8pos T-lymphocytes were approximately 2-fold higher in PFAPA tonsils; the transitional B cells and naïve stages of both the CD4pos and CD8pos T-lymphocytes with a low expression of PD-1 molecule and high numbers of TREC were also increased. With the exception of elevated plasmablasts, no other differences were significant in PB. The expression levels of CXCL10, CXCL9 and CCL19 genes were significantly higher in PFAPA tonsils. The IGH/TCR pattern showed no clonal/oligoclonal expansion. DNA from the Epstein-Barr virus, Human Herpervirus-6 or adenovirus was detected in 7 of 10 PFAPA tonsils but also in 7 of 9 controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the uninhibited, polyclonal response of newly derived lymphocytes participate in the pathogenesis of PFAPA. Because most of the observed changes were restricted to tonsils and were not present in PB, they partly explain the therapeutic success of tonsillectomy in PFAPA syndrome.

• Klíčová slova
• Autoinflammatory disease, Chemokine, Flow cytometry, KREC, PD-1, PFAPA, T lymphocyte, T-cell receptor gene rearrangement, TREC, Tonsillectomy,
• MeSH
• Adenoviridae genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• aftózní stomatitida komplikace   imunologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• antigeny CD279 biosyntéza   MeSH
• B-lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• CD8-pozitivní T-lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• chemokin CCL19 biosyntéza   MeSH
• chemokin CXCL10 biosyntéza   MeSH
• chemokin CXCL9 biosyntéza   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• faryngitida komplikace   imunologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• horečka neznámého původu komplikace   imunologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• krční mandle cytologie   imunologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidský herpesvirus 6 genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• lymfadenitida komplikace   imunologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• obstrukční spánková apnoe imunologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• počet lymfocytů MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• receptory antigenů T-buněk genetika   MeSH
• T-lymfocyty - podskupiny imunologie   MeSH
• tonzilektomie MeSH
• virus Epsteinův-Barrové genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny CD279 MeSH
• CCL19 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• chemokin CCL19 MeSH
• chemokin CXCL10 MeSH
• chemokin CXCL9 MeSH
• CXCL10 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• CXCL9 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• PDCD1 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• receptory antigenů T-buněk MeSH

The EuroFlow PID consortium developed a set of flow cytometry tests for evaluation of patients with suspicion of primary immunodeficiency (PID). In this technical report we evaluate the performance of the SCID-RTE tube that explores the presence of recent thymic emigrants (RTE) together with T-cell activation status and maturation stages and discuss its applicability in the context of the broader EuroFlow PID flow cytometry testing algorithm for diagnostic orientation of PID of the lymphoid system. We have analyzed peripheral blood cells of 26 patients diagnosed between birth and 2 years of age with a genetically defined primary immunodeficiency disorder: 15 severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) patients had disease-causing mutations in RAG1 or RAG2 (n = 4, two of them presented with Omenn syndrome), IL2RG (n = 4, one of them with confirmed maternal engraftment), NHEJ1 (n = 1), CD3E (n = 1), ADA (n = 1), JAK3 (n = 3, two of them with maternal engraftment) and DCLRE1C (n = 1) and 11 other PID patients had diverse molecular defects [ZAP70 (n = 1), WAS (n = 2), PNP (n = 1), FOXP3 (n = 1), del22q11.2 (DiGeorge n = 4), CDC42 (n = 1) and FAS (n = 1)]. In addition, 44 healthy controls in the same age group were analyzed using the SCID-RTE tube in four EuroFlow laboratories using a standardized 8-color approach. RTE were defined as CD62L+CD45RO-HLA-DR-CD31+ and the activation status was assessed by the expression of HLA-DR+. Naïve CD8+ T-lymphocytes and naïve CD4+ T-lymphocytes were defined as CD62L+CD45RO-HLA-DR-. With the SCID-RTE tube, we identified patients with PID by low levels or absence of RTE in comparison to controls as well as low levels of naïve CD4+ and naïve CD8+ lymphocytes. These parameters yielded 100% sensitivity for SCID. All SCID patients had absence of RTE, including the patients with confirmed maternal engraftment or oligoclonally expanded T-cells characteristic for Omenn syndrome. Another dominant finding was the increased numbers of activated CD4+HLA-DR+ and CD8+HLA-DR+ lymphocytes. Therefore, the EuroFlow SCID-RTE tube together with the previously published PIDOT tube form a sensitive and complete cytometric diagnostic test suitable for patients suspected of severe PID (SCID or CID) as well as for children identified via newborn screening programs for SCID with low or absent T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs).

• Klíčová slova
• EuroFlow, diagnosis, flow cytometric immunophenotyping, primary immunodeficiencies (PID), severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), standardization,
• MeSH
• HLA-DR antigeny analýza   MeSH
• imunofenotypizace metody   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• primární imunodeficience diagnóza   imunologie   MeSH
• průtoková cytometrie metody   MeSH
• T-lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• těžká kombinovaná imunodeficience imunologie   MeSH
• thymus imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• HLA-DR antigeny MeSH