Reduced Circulating Regulatory T Cells in Autoimmune and Chronic Idiopathic Neutropenia of Childhood: An Observational Study of Clinical and Laboratory Associations
5 affiliations
- 1Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital Athens Greece
- 2ERN Eurobloodnet Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital Athens Greece
- 3Medical School University of Patras Patras Greece
- 4Immunology Department Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital Athens Greece
- 5University of Crete Medical School Crete Greece
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) in children with autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) and chronic idiopathic neutropenia (CIN) and evaluate their associations with clinical and laboratory features of neutropenia.
Methods: Plasma and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) were collected from 69 participants. Anti‐neutrophil antibody testing included flow cytometry Granulocyte Immunofluorescence Testing (fGIFT) and Granulocyte Agglutination Testing (GAT). Subjects were classified as AIN upon positive assays (n = 40), CIN upon negative assays (n = 19), and controls healthy children (n = 10). Personal history, infection susceptibility, and laboratory tests were recorded. Tregs were measured through flow cytometry, while FOXP3 expression was measured through Western blot.
Results: Tregs percentages (Tregs%) and absolute values were significantly lower among AIN and CIN than controls (Tregs%: p < 0.01 for AIN CIN, Tregs: p < 0.01 for AIN, p = 0.01 for CIN‐ Mann‐ Whitney U test). FOXP3 expression was maintained. Tregs were analogous with white blood cells (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.01 Spearman's) and lymphocytes (ρ = 0.42, p < 0.01) among children with AIN, while Tregs levels were associated infection severity among children with CIN.
Conclusions: Children with AIN and CIN exhibit reduced circulating Tregs, while these values are associated with clinical and laboratory aberrations, suggesting a potential contribution in the immunopathogenesis of neutropenia.
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BibTeX
@article{toutoudaki2026reduced,
title = {{Reduced Circulating Regulatory T Cells in Autoimmune and Chronic Idiopathic Neutropenia of Childhood: An Observational Study of Clinical and Laboratory Associations}},
author = {Konstantina Toutoudaki and Elena E. Solomou and Marianna Tzanoudaki and Stavros Glentis and Panagiota Perari and Panagiota Davoulou and Eftichia Theodoropoulou and Polyxeni Delaporta and Eleni Stamou and Irene Mavroudi and Charalambos Pontikoglou and Helen Papadaki and Antonis Kattamis},
journal = {European Journal of Haematology},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1111/ejh.70310},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/ejh.70310},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Reduced Circulating Regulatory T Cells in Autoimmune and Chronic Idiopathic Neutropenia of Childhood: An Observational Study of Clinical and Laboratory Associations
AU - Konstantina Toutoudaki
AU - Elena E. Solomou
AU - Marianna Tzanoudaki
AU - Stavros Glentis
AU - Panagiota Perari
AU - Panagiota Davoulou
AU - Eftichia Theodoropoulou
AU - Polyxeni Delaporta
AU - Eleni Stamou
AU - Irene Mavroudi
AU - Charalambos Pontikoglou
AU - Helen Papadaki
AU - Antonis Kattamis
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/31
JO - European Journal of Haematology
DO - 10.1111/ejh.70310
UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/ejh.70310
AB - Objectives: To investigate circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) in children with autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) and chronic idiopathic neutropenia (CIN) and evaluate their associations with clinical and laboratory features of neutropenia. Methods: Plasma and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) were collected from 69 participants. Anti‐neutrophil antibody testing included flow cytometry Granulocyte Immunofluorescence Testing (fGIFT) and Granulocyte Agglutination Testing (GAT). Subjects were classified as AIN upon positive assays (n = 40), CIN upon negative assays (n = 19), and controls healthy children (n = 10). Personal history, infection susceptibility, and laboratory tests were recorded. Tregs were measured through flow cytometry, while FOXP3 expression was measured through Western blot. Results: Tregs percentages (Tregs%) and absolute values were significantly lower among AIN and CIN than controls (Tregs%: p < 0.01 for AIN CIN, Tregs: p < 0.01 for AIN, p = 0.01 for CIN‐ Mann‐ Whitney U test). FOXP3 expression was maintained. Tregs were analogous with white blood cells (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.01 Spearman's) and lymphocytes (ρ = 0.42, p < 0.01) among children with AIN, while Tregs levels were associated infection severity among children with CIN. Conclusions: Children with AIN and CIN exhibit reduced circulating Tregs, while these values are associated with clinical and laboratory aberrations, suggesting a potential contribution in the immunopathogenesis of neutropenia.
SN - 0902-4441
SN - 1600-0609
ER -