title: Improved outcome of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation due to breastfeeding-induced tolerance to maternal antigens.
abstract: Exposure of offspring to noninherited maternal antigens (NIMAs) during pregnancy may have an impact on transplantations performed later in life. Using a mouse model, we recently showed that bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from NIMA-exposed offspring to the mother led to a reduction of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Since offspring can also be exposed to NIMAs by breastfeeding after birth, we tested whether breast milk could mediate the tolerogenic NIMA effect. We found that oral exposure to NIMAs by breastfeeding alone was sufficient to reduce GVHD, and that in utero exposure to NIMAs is required for maximum reduction of GVHD. The tolerogenic milk effects disappeared when donor mice were injected with CD25 monoclonal antibodies during the lactation period, suggesting a CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cell-dependent mechanism. Our results suggest a previously unknown impact of breastfeeding on the outcome of transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Biopathological Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Daigo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichinohe
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Mitsune
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Teshima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D000941:Antigens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C508018:Il2ra protein, mouse; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit