Does anti-HPA-1a affect birthweight in fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia?

Background: Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) ensues from parental incompatibility for platelet alloantigens with maternal sensitization. HPA-1a/1b incompatibility is the most common cause of FNAIT in Caucasians. Placental villitis and lower birthweight in FNAIT suggest anti-HPA-1a may have effects beyond inducing thrombocytopenia.

Neutrophil functional heterogeneity is a fixed phenotype and is associated with distinct gene expression profiles.

Differences in the ability of neutrophils to perform relevant effector functions has been identified in a variety of disease states. Although neutrophil functional heterogeneity is increasingly recognized during disease, few studies have examined neutrophil functional heterogeneity during periods of health. In this study, we systematically characterize neutrophil functional heterogeneity in a cohort of healthy human subjects using a range of biologically relevant agonists including immune complexes, bacterial ligands, and pathogens.