title: Supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus or Bifidobacterium lactis probiotics in pregnancy increases cord blood interferon-gamma and breast milk transforming growth factor-beta and immunoglobin A detection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explored the effects of maternal probiotic supplementation on immune markers in cord blood (CB) and breast milk.
  
  
  METHODS
  CB plasma and breast milk samples were collected from a cohort of women who had received daily supplements of either 6 x 10(9) CFU/day Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 (n=34), 9 x 10(9) CFU/day Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 (n=35) or a placebo (n=36) beginning 2-5 weeks before delivery and continuing for 6 months in lactating women. CB plasma and breast milk (collected at 3-7 days, 3 months and 6 months postpartum) were assayed for cytokines (IL-13, IFN-gamma, IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-10, TGF-beta1) and sCD14. Breast milk samples were also assayed for total IgA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neonates of mothers who received a probiotic had higher CB IFN-gamma levels (P=0.026), and a higher proportion had detectable blood IFN-gamma levels, compared with the placebo group (P=0.034), although levels were undetectable in many infants. While this pattern was evident for both probiotics, when examined separately only the L. rhamnosus HN001 group showed statistically significant higher IFN-gamma levels (P=0.030) compared with the placebo group. TGF-beta1 levels were higher in early breast milk (week 1) from the probiotic groups (P=0.028). This was evident for the B. lactis HN019 group (P=0.041) with a parallel trend in the L. rhamnosus HN001 group (P=0.075). Similar patterns were seen for breast milk IgA, which was more readily detected in breast milk from both the B. lactis HN019 (P=0.008) and the L. rhamnosus HN001 group (P=0.011). Neonatal plasma sCD14 levels were lower in the B. lactis HN019 group compared with the placebo group (P=0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that supplementation with probiotics in pregnancy has the potential to influence fetal immune parameters as well as immunomodulatory factors in breast milk.
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. sprescott@meddent.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wickens
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Westcott
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fitzharris
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siebers
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crane
mesh_terms: D001644:Bifidobacterium; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000276:immunology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma