Reduced interferon gamma production by antigen-stimulated cord blood mononuclear cells is a risk factor of allergic disorders--6-year follow-up study.
BACKGROUND
It is not sufficient to predict 'high allergic risk newborns' on the basis of increased IgE concentrations of cord blood alone, because a raised cord blood IgE concentration is specific but not sensitive in the prediction of the development of allergic disorders. Warner et al. have reported that interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production by allergen-triggered cord blood cells is a predictor of atopic eczema, based on the 1-year follow-up study.


OBJECTIVE
We examined whether IFN-gamma production by antigen-stimulated cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) is a risk factor of allergic disorders, based on the 6-year follow-up study.


METHODS
The relationships among cord blood IgE concentrations, IFN-gamma and interleukin-2 (IL-2) productions by antigen-stimulated CBMCs, and the development of allergic disorders in 21 infants for 6 years were investigated.


RESULTS
Atopic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma developed in seven of 21 subjects. The maximal IFN-gamma concentration in culture supernatants of ovalbumin (OA) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) stimulated CBMCs in infants who developed allergic disorders was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than that in infants who did not develop any allergic disorders. In contrast, the maximal IL-2 concentration in culture supernatants of OA- or BSA-stimulated CBMCs in infants who developed allergic disorders was not lower than in infants who did not develop any allergic disorders. Moreover, the IFN-gamma concentrations were negatively correlated with cord blood IgE concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced IFN-gamma production by antigen-stimulated CBMCs is a risk factor of allergic disorders.
Kondo
N
N
Department of Paediatrics, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kobayashi
Y
Y
Shinoda
S
S
Takenaka
R
R
Teramoto
T
T
Kaneko
H
H
Fukao
T
T
Matsui
E
E
Kasahara
K
K
Yokoyama
Y
Y
D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors
D000941:Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma