Breastfeeding stimulates total and cow's milk-specific salivary IgA in infants.
Breastfeeding may increase the rate of mucosal maturation and IgA production. We sought to determine the effect of breastfeeding vs. formula-feeding on the maturation of oral mucosa by measuring the salivary total antibodies and cow's milk protein-specific IgA. Fifty-eight saliva samples were collected from 39 healthy, full term infants. At the age of 3 months (n = 25) eight infants received only breast milk and seventeen formula (cow's milk based n = 10, hydrolysed n = 7) and breast milk; and at the age of 6 months (n = 33) eleven received breast milk, seventeen formula and breast milk and five were not breastfed any more (cow's milk based n = 14, hydrolysed n = 8). Total IgA, IgG, IgM and protein, and beta-lactoglobulin specific IgA were measured from saliva with enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). The antibody results were proportioned to total protein. No differences in antibody levels between the feeding groups were found at 3 months of age. At 6 months, total IgA, total IgM and beta-lactoglobulin-specific IgA were higher among the breastfed infants compared to those receiving formula as supplement to breast milk or not breastfed any more (breast milk vs. any formula p = 0.029, p = 0.015, p = 0.058; breast milk vs. cow's milk formula p = 0.025, p = 0.044, p = 0.038). To conclude, breastfeeding stimulated the mucosal immune system to produce IgA to saliva, which is a marker for immunological maturation and likely provides protection against environmental antigens.
Laboratory for Immunobiology, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie166, Helsinki FIN-00300, Finland. laura.piirainen@ktl.fi
Laura
L
Piirainen
Jouni
J
Pesola
Ilkka
I
Pesola
Jorma
J
Komulainen
Outi
O
Vaarala
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007782:Lactoglobulins