title: Maternal selenium nutrition and neonatal immune system development.
abstract: We evaluated the impact of dietary selenium intake on neonatal immune cell differentiation and function. A low selenium intake during pregnancy and lactation produced reductions in maternal plasma selenium (33%, p = 0.0001), milk selenium (36%, p = 0.001), and corresponding neonatal plasma selenium (47%, p = 0.008). Thymocytes from neonates receiving low-selenium milk showed an impaired activation in vitro (p = 0.001). The percentages of CD8 cytotoxic T cells (p = 0.03), CD2 T cells (p = 0.09), panB cells ( = 0.02), and natural killer cells (p = 0.07) were all decreased in neonates nursed by mothers fed a low-selenium diet. The results indicate that maternal selenium intake impacts neonatal selenium status which in turn influences the neonatal immune system development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Maggie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dylewski
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mastro
authors.forename: Mary Francis
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Picciano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000254:growth & development*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D012643:Selenium