title: Cytokine biomarker candidates in breast milk associated with the development of atopic dermatitis in 6-month-old infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A few studies have reported that the quantity of selected cytokines/chemokines in breast milk might be associated with atopic dermatitis (AD). Using the multiplex cytokine assay system, we examined cytokines/chemokines in human milk in order to identify new biomarkers related to AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 49 infants with or without AD who participated in a birth cohort and measured the concentrations of cytokines/chemokines in the colostrum (collected within 4-5 days after birth) and mature milk (collected at 1 month postpartum) received by the infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-12p40 in the colostrum, and in those of IL-4, eotaxin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon (IFN)-α2 and MIP-1α in the mature milk between the milk received by infants who developed AD at the age of 6 months and that received by the control infants. There was weak to moderate correlation between those 6 cytokines/chemokines in mature milk. Atopic history and IgE levels of mothers were not related to cytokine/chemokine concentrations in breast milk. Logistic regression analyses showed that high levels of eotaxin in the mature milk were a risk for the development of AD at 6 months of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that several cytokines/chemokines, especially eotaxin, are potential biomarkers for development of AD in early infancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimojo
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomiita
authors.forename: Takayasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.forename: Yuzaburo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Mayuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakaya
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Chisato
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kohno
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines