Local antibodies to alpha-casein and beta-lactoglobulin in the saliva of infants.
Salivary antibodies were studied in 112 infants between 1 day and 8 yr of life. SIgA anticasein was present from birth in breast-fed and bottle-fed infants. Bottle-feeding resulted in significantly higher concentrations of SIgA anticasein at 3 wk to 3 months of life as compared to breast-feeding. Salivary anticasein declined toward the end of the 1st yr and was present in less than half of the children older than 1 yr. Salivary anti-beta-lactoglobulin was also present at birth in some infants. Levels increased slightly over the following 3 months but remained low. Only a minority of older children had this antibody in their saliva.
Department of Pediatrics, Philipps-University, Marburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
M
M
Frick
C H
CH
Rieger
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002364:Caseins / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000276:immunology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D012635:Secretory Component / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D002364:Caseins; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D012635:Secretory Component