title: Antibody production in early life supported by maternal lymphocyte factors.
abstract: To examine the influence of maternal lymphocyte factors on the immune responses in offspring in early life, antibody production in neonates born to either normal or lymphocyte-deficient mothers was analyzed. Recombination activating gene (Rag)-2(+/-) mouse neonates born to Rag-2(+/+), Rag-2(+/-)or Rag-2(-/-)mothers were injected with goat anti-mouse IgD antiserum, and IgE and IgG(1) production was evaluated. The levels of IgE and IgG(1) were higher in the pups born to Rag-2(+/+)and Rag-2(+/-) dams than to lymphocyte-deficient Rag-2(-/-) dams. The enhanced antibody production in the former compared with the latter neonates was also found following immunization with ovalbumin or TNP-Ficoll. Thus, the presence of maternal lymphocyte factors was suggested in neonates that augmented antigen-specific antibody production in both T cell-dependent and -independent pathways. A reduction in antibody production was observed in normal neonates when they were foster-nursed by Rag-2(-/-) mothers. Thus, the maternal lymphocyte factors enhancing the immune responses in newborns were shown to be present in breast-milk.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Immunology, Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences, 11 Minamiooya, Tokyo 194-8511, Machida, Japan. michio@libra.ls.m-kagaku.co.jp
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimamura
authors.forename: Yi-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goji
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005362:Ficoll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000032:analysis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D010047:Ovalbumin; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C499308:Rag2 protein, mouse; C020529:TNP-ficoll; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; C064655:V(D)J recombination activating protein 2; D005362:Ficoll; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin