title: Influence of breastfeeding versus formula feeding on lymphocyte subsets in infants at risk of coeliac disease: the PROFICEL study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In addition to genetic risk, environmental factors might influence coeliac disease (CD) development. We sought to assess the effect of the interaction between milk-feeding practices and the HLA-DQ genotype on peripheral lymphocyte subsets and their activation markers in infants at familial risk for CD.
  
  
  METHODS
  170 newborns were classified in 3 different genetic risk groups (high risk, HR; intermediate risk, IR; and low risk, LR) after DQB1 and DQA1 typing. Lymphocyte subsets were studied at the age of 4 months by flow cytometry analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  79 infants were receiving exclusive breastfeeding (BF) and 91 partial breastfeeding or formula feeding (FF). Regarding genetic risk, 40 infants were classified in HR group, 75 in IR group and 55 in LR group. Two-way ANOVA did not show significant interactions between the type of milk feeding and genetic risk group on the lymphocyte subsets analysed. One-way ANOVA for milk-feeding practice alone showed that the percentage of CD4 + CD25+ cells was significantly higher in BF group than in FF group (BF, 10.92 ± 2.71; FF, 9.94 ± 2.96; p = 0.026), and absolute counts of CD4 + CD38+ cells were significantly higher in FF group than in BF group (FF, 2,881.23 ± 973.48; BF, 2,557.95 ± 977.06; p = 0.038). One-way ANOVA for genetic risk alone showed that absolute counts of NK cells were significantly higher in IR group than HR and LR groups (IR, 539.24 ± 340.63; HR, 405.01 ± 239.53; LR, 419.86 ± 262.85; p = 0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lymphocyte subset profiles in the early stages of life could be modulated by milk-feeding practices and genetic risk separately. Breastfeeding might have a positive immunomodulatory effect on lymphocyte subsets in infants at risk of CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pozo-Rubio
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capilla
authors.forename: Jorge R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mujico
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Palma
authors.forename: Ascensión
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Polanco
authors.forename: Maria Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: García-Novo
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castillejo
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ribes-Koninckx
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Varea
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palau
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ortigosa
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peña-Quintana
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nova
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens