title: Adaptive cytokine production in early life differentially predicts total IgE levels and asthma through age 5 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although it has been postulated that allergic disease is associated with a predominance of T(H)2 cells, whether IgE levels and asthma might differ in their relation to early-life cytokine production is not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess the relationship between first-year adaptive immune cytokine production with asthma and total IgE levels through age 5 years in a nonselected birth cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mitogen (concanavalin A/phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate)-stimulated IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IFN-γ levels were measured in supernatants from cord blood mononuclear cells and PBMCs at birth, 3 months, and 12 months. Total serum IgE levels and physician-diagnosed active asthma were assessed at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years. Longitudinal models that adjust for both T(H)1 and T(H)2 cytokine production were used to determine relations of outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relations of cytokines to total IgE levels and asthma were strikingly different. Total IgE levels through age 5 years were positively associated with 12-month IL-4 (P < .001), IL-5 (P < .001), and IL-13 (P = .02) levels when adjusted for IFN-γ levels and inversely associated with 12-month IFN-γ levels after IL-4 adjustment (P = .01). Active asthma through age 5 years was positively associated with 3-month IL-13 levels adjusted for IFN-γ (odds ratio, 2.6; P < .001) and inversely associated with 3-month IFN-γ levels adjusted for IL-13 (odds ratio, 0.5; P = .001). These relations were strongest for nonatopic asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total IgE levels and active asthma through age 5 years are associated with adaptive cytokine production in early life, although relations vary temporally and with regard to the relative importance of individual cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona HSC, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothers
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halonen
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: I Carla
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Lohman
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mobley
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spangenberg
authors.forename: Dayna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E