ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to investigate and quantify the morphological and molecularchanges in the thymus for common causes of human infant death. Thymic architecture andmolecular changes apparent in human infant head trauma victims were assessed by microscopyand quantified by image analysis of digital whole slide images. Thymuses from victims of SIDSand suffocated infants displaying normal thymus architecture were used for comparison.Molecular expression of proliferation and serotonin receptor and transporter protein markers wasevaluated. Duplicate morphological and molecular studies of rodent thymuses were completedwith both mouse and rat models. Quantification of novel parameters of digital images of thymusesfrom human infants suffering mortal head trauma revealed a disruption of the corticomedullaryorganization of the thymus, particularly involving dissolution of the corticomedullary border. Asimilar result was obtained for related mouse and rat models. The human thymuses from head trauma cases also displayed a higher percentage of Ki-67-positive thymocytes. Finally, wedetermined that thymus expression of the human serotonin receptor, and the serotonin transporter,occur almost exclusively in the thymic medulla. Head trauma leads to a disruption of the thymic,corticomedullary border, and molecular expression patterns in a robust and quantifiable manner.
Read Full Manuscript: QUANTITATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULARPATHOLOGY OF THE HUMAN THYMUS CORRELATE WITHINFANT CAUSE OF DEATH