Presenility of granulocytes in Down syndrome individuals

Neutrophil function defects occur in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), W e examined apoptosis of granulocytes (neutrophils and eosinophils) in DS in dividuals and control healthy subjects. Granulocyte survival was shortened in DS individuals, and the percentage of apoptotic granulocytes from DS dur ing incubation was significantly higher than that from healthy subjects. Th e difference was time-dependent, and that between DS and healthy subjects w as nearly 30% after longer periods of incubation. In control granulocytes, both granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (10 ng/ml) and interl eukin-5 (5 ng/ml) counteracted the programmed cell death and delayed the ap optosis caused by anti-Fas antibodies, whereas those inflammatory cytokines were not able to completely prevent cellular apoptosis in DS patients. Apo ptosis and functional impairment of granulocytes may contribute to the risk of infections underlying pathological conditions of DS, and accelerated ap optosis of granulocytes may be a factor to prevent chronic airway inflammat ion and bronchial asthma in DS individuals. Am. J. Med. Genet. 84:406-412, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.