Human colostrum T lymphocytes and their effector cytokines actively aid the development of the newborn immune system.
Colostrum contains soluble and cellular components, the latter mainly T lymphocytes. We expanded in vitro colostrum T lymphocytes (CoTL) to evaluate phenotype and capability of cytokine production. We also considered paired cord blood T-lymphocytes (CBTL) representing the newborn "virgin" immune system. CoTL showed memory phenotype while CBTL expressed mainly naïve phenotype. CoTL included a balanced percentage of helper and cytotoxic subsets. We observed higher percentages of IL-2 (p=0.003) and IL-4 (p=0.027) producing cells by helper rather than by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The greatest percentage of IFN-gamma producing cells was in cytotoxic cells (p=0.0048), while no difference was found for IL-10. Cord blood samples consisted of a statistically significant greater percentage of helper than cytotoxic cells (p<0.001), with a low percentage of cytokine producing cells, confirming the immaturity of the newborns immune system. CBTL percentage of IL-2 producing cells was higher for helper than cytotoxic subset (p<0.001). We observed a greater percentage of IFN-gamma (p=0.001), IL-4 (p=0.003) and IL-10 (p<0.001) producing cells by cytotoxic than helper T lymphocytes. CoTL demonstrated to protect the newborn through the mothers previous immune experience and to supply active cytokines, which can help the postnatal development of both T type 1/T type 2 response.
Ciardelli
L
L
Neonatal Immunology Research Laboratories, Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Garofoli
F
F
Stronati
M
M
Mazzucchelli
I
I
Avanzini
M A
MA
Figar
T
T
Gasparoni
A
A
De Silvestri
A
A
Sabatino
G
G
Chirico
G
G
D003126:Colostrum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines