Identification of anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibodies in human breast milk.
Malarial infections are rarely observed in neonates. It has been postulated that some immunity may be passively transferred during nursing, but anti-malarial antibodies (Abs) have not been detected in human milk. In this study, milk samples, collected 2-14 days after parturition from women at the Central Maternity Hospital, Yaounde, were evaluated for total IgG and IgA antibody levels by radial diffusion, protein composition by SDS-PAGE, anti-malarial antibodies using an isotype-specific immunofluorescence assay, and the ability to immunoprecipitate Plasmodium falciparum antigens metabolically labelled with 35S-methionine. Results showed that anti-P. falciparum antibodies were present in breast milk, and that paired milk and serum samples from individual women contained Abs that recognized similar malarial antigens.
Leke
R G
RG
University Centre for Health Sciences, University of Yaounde, Cameroun.
Ndansi
R
R
Southerland
N J
NJ
Quakyi
I A
IA
Taylor
D W
DW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M