Immune and body composition signatures of neurodevelopmental impairments in preterm preschoolers
11 affiliations
- 1Department of Physiology and Cellular Development, National Institute of Perinatology Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 2Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 3Department of Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Perinatology Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 4Centro de Estudios Avanzados sobre Violencia-Prevención (CEAVI-P), Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 5Star Médica Hospital Infantil Privado, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 6Deputy Directorate of Biomedical Research, National Institute of Perinatology Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 7Coordination of Nutrition and Bioprogramming, National Institute of Perinatology Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Mexico City, Mexico.
- 8Department of Immunobiochemistry, National Institute of Perinatology "Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes", Mexico City, Mexico.
- 9INSERM UMR 1349, Bobigny, France.
- 10Laboratoire Signalisation Microenvironnement et Hémopathies Lymphoïdes B (SIMHEL), Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Bobigny, France.
- 11Immunometabolism Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Abstract
Background: Preterm birth is a primary risk factor for long-term neurodevelopmental deficits. While acute neonatal inflammation is a known disruptor of brain development, the persistence of immune dysregulation and its relationship with body composition in the preschool years remains poorly characterized. This study aimed to identify immunological and anthropometric signatures associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschoolers born preterm.
Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of preschoolers born at ≤ 34 weeks gestation. We performed comprehensive anthropometry, high-dimensional flow cytometry, and quantification of serum neuroinflammatory biomarkers, on children with Normal, Delay or Risk in neurodevelopment.
Results: Neurodevelopmental impairments predominantly affected motor, language and cognitive domains in our cohort. Children in the Delay and Risk groups exhibited significantly reduced subcutaneous adiposity and lower fat mass compared to the Normal group, despite comparable linear growth. Immunologically, the Risk group was characterized by decreased neutrophils, platelets, and IP-10 levels. The B-cell compartment was the strongest predictor of clinical status; children with neurodevelopmental deficits exhibited a persistence of immature transitional B cells (CD38 ⁺ CD24 ⁺ IgD ⁺ ), whereas those with normal development were enriched for mature class-switched memory B cells (CD27 ⁺ IgD ⁻ ).
Conclusion: Preterm preschoolers with neurodevelopmental impairments showed a systemic profile of biological immaturity (reduced subcutaneous adiposity, lower neutrophil and platelet counts and a persistence of transitional B cells). Our identification of a distinct B-cell signature and altered body composition profiles in preschoolers born preterm offers promising new avenues for early detection and intervention.
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BibTeX
@article{bahenadelgado2026immune,
title = {{Immune and body composition signatures of neurodevelopmental impairments in preterm preschoolers}},
author = {Armida Ivette Bahena-Delgado and Carmen Hernandez-Chavez and Sandra Martínez-Medina and Gabriela Gil-Martínez and Arturo Alejandro Canul-Euan and Ismael Mancilla-Herrera and Carolina Rodríguez-Hernández and Brenda Janeth Rojo-Prieto and Ameyali Mariana Rodríguez-Cano and Otilia Perichart-Perera and José Antonio Morales-González and Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez and Claudine Irles and Oscar Medina-Contreras and Gabriela Gonzalez-Perez},
journal = {Frontiers in Immunology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2026.1941190},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1941190/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Immune and body composition signatures of neurodevelopmental impairments in preterm preschoolers
AU - Armida Ivette Bahena-Delgado
AU - Carmen Hernandez-Chavez
AU - Sandra Martínez-Medina
AU - Gabriela Gil-Martínez
AU - Arturo Alejandro Canul-Euan
AU - Ismael Mancilla-Herrera
AU - Carolina Rodríguez-Hernández
AU - Brenda Janeth Rojo-Prieto
AU - Ameyali Mariana Rodríguez-Cano
AU - Otilia Perichart-Perera
AU - José Antonio Morales-González
AU - Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez
AU - Claudine Irles
AU - Oscar Medina-Contreras
AU - Gabriela Gonzalez-Perez
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Frontiers in Immunology
DO - 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1941190
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1941190/full
AB - Background: Preterm birth is a primary risk factor for long-term neurodevelopmental deficits. While acute neonatal inflammation is a known disruptor of brain development, the persistence of immune dysregulation and its relationship with body composition in the preschool years remains poorly characterized. This study aimed to identify immunological and anthropometric signatures associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschoolers born preterm. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of preschoolers born at ≤ 34 weeks gestation. We performed comprehensive anthropometry, high-dimensional flow cytometry, and quantification of serum neuroinflammatory biomarkers, on children with Normal, Delay or Risk in neurodevelopment. Results: Neurodevelopmental impairments predominantly affected motor, language and cognitive domains in our cohort. Children in the Delay and Risk groups exhibited significantly reduced subcutaneous adiposity and lower fat mass compared to the Normal group, despite comparable linear growth. Immunologically, the Risk group was characterized by decreased neutrophils, platelets, and IP-10 levels. The B-cell compartment was the strongest predictor of clinical status; children with neurodevelopmental deficits exhibited a persistence of immature transitional B cells (CD38 ⁺ CD24 ⁺ IgD ⁺ ), whereas those with normal development were enriched for mature class-switched memory B cells (CD27 ⁺ IgD ⁻ ). Conclusion: Preterm preschoolers with neurodevelopmental impairments showed a systemic profile of biological immaturity (reduced subcutaneous adiposity, lower neutrophil and platelet counts and a persistence of transitional B cells). Our identification of a distinct B-cell signature and altered body composition profiles in preschoolers born preterm offers promising new avenues for early detection and intervention.
SN - 1664-3224
ER -