The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Control of Hypersensitivity Diseases, Helsinki, Finland.
Clin Exp Allergy. 2011 May;41(5):688-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03707.x. Epub 2011 Mar 21.
Serum and secretory IgA concentrations have been suggested to be inversely associated with allergic symptoms in children. Furthermore, low maternal milk IgA concentration has been suggested to be associated with the development of cow's milk allergy.
Our aim was to explore whether the serum IgA concentrations in infancy and the IgA concentration of maternal milk predict atopic manifestations in childhood and up to age 20 years.
A cohort of 200 unselected full-term newborns was prospectively followed up from birth to age 20 years with measurement of serum total IgA at ages 2 and 6 months. The mothers were encouraged to maintain exclusive breastfeeding for as long as possible. Total IgA concentration of maternal milk was measured at birth (colostrum, n=169) and at 2 (n=167) and 6 (n=119) months of lactation. The children were re-assessed at ages 5, 11 and 20 years for the occurrence of allergic symptoms, with skin prick testing and measurement of serum IgE.
Children and adolescents with respiratory allergic symptoms and sensitization had a higher serum IgA concentration at age 2 months than the non-atopic subjects. Colostrum and breast milk IgA concentrations were not associated with the development of allergic symptoms in the recipient infant. However, maternal milk IgA concentration at 6 months of lactation was inversely associated with elevated serum total IgE and positive skin prick test to tree pollen in the offspring at age 20 years.
Increased serum IgA concentration at age 2 months is associated with the development of subsequent allergic symptoms and sensitization in childhood and adolescence. Maternal milk IgA concentrations are not associated with subsequent allergic symptoms in the recipient infant. The present study provides novel information on the role of IgA in the development of respiratory allergy and sensitization.
血清和分泌型 IgA 浓度与儿童过敏症状呈负相关。此外，母乳中 IgA 浓度低与牛奶过敏的发展有关。
我们旨在探讨婴儿期血清 IgA 浓度和母乳 IgA 浓度是否可预测儿童期和 20 岁时的特应性表现。
前瞻性地对 200 名未选择的足月新生儿进行队列研究，从出生开始随访至 20 岁，在 2 个月和 6 个月时测量血清总 IgA。鼓励母亲尽可能长时间地进行纯母乳喂养。在出生时（初乳，n=169）和 2 个月（n=167）和 6 个月（n=119）时测量母乳总 IgA 浓度。在 5 岁、11 岁和 20 岁时对儿童进行过敏症状再评估，包括皮肤点刺试验和血清 IgE 测量。
有呼吸道过敏症状和致敏的儿童和青少年在 2 个月时的血清 IgA 浓度高于非特应性儿童。初乳和母乳 IgA 浓度与受者婴儿发生过敏症状无关。然而，哺乳期 6 个月时的母乳 IgA 浓度与 20 岁时后代血清总 IgE 升高和树花粉皮肤点刺试验阳性呈负相关。
2 个月时血清 IgA 浓度增加与儿童和青少年后续发生过敏症状和致敏有关。母乳 IgA 浓度与受者婴儿后续发生过敏症状无关。本研究提供了关于 IgA 在呼吸道过敏和致敏发展中作用的新信息。
