Breastmilk from allergic mothers can protect offspring from allergic airway inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of developing asthma in children. Using a murine model we previously demonstrated that mothers with Th1-type immunity to ovalbumin (OVA) transfer antigen-specific protection from OVA-induced allergic airway disease (AAD) to their offspring. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of breastmilk and maternal B cell immunity from allergic mothers in the vertical transmission of protection from AAD.


METHODS
This was investigated using an adoptive nursing strategy. Naive offspring were nursed by allergic wild-type or B cell-deficient foster mothers with histories of Th2-type immunity to OVA. Following weaning, offspring were immunized with OVA-Al(OH)(3) and challenged with aerosolized OVA to induce AAD.


RESULTS
Offspring nursed by wild-type OVA-immune foster mothers demonstrated lower levels of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E, interleukin-5, and airway eosinophilia than progeny nursed by naive control mothers. In contrast, offspring nursed by B cell-deficient OVA-immune foster mothers had similar parameters of OVA-induced AAD as progeny nursed by naive control mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the ability of breastmilk from allergic mothers to protect offspring from AAD was dependent on intact maternal B cell immunity. Nursing alone, when done by wild-type mothers with AAD, was sufficient for offspring to acquire the antigen-specific protective factor(s) from breastmilk.
Matson
Adam P
AP
Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-1319, USA.
Thrall
Roger S
RS
Rafti
Ektor
E
Puddington
Lynn
L
D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors
D000485:Allergens; D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015848:Interleukin-5; D010047:Ovalbumin