title: Maternal surfactant protein A influences the immunoprotective properties of milk in a murine model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal surfactant protein A (SP-A), a collectin with innate immune system function, is critical to newborn mouse survival preventing bacterial peritonitis associated with a nonhygienic environmental exposure. We hypothesized that SP-A improves newborn survival by optimizing milk immunoprotection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional (lung) and systemic (milk and serum) immunologic responses to a novel antigen, 2,4-dintirophenyl keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH), and to a nonhygienic environment were evaluated in wild-type (WT) and SP-A null murine dams. Cross-fostering pups assessed the impact of milk on newborn survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal SP-A optimized antigen-specific milk secretory IgA (sIgA) production following the DNP-KLH exposure. Milk total and environment-specific sIgA production was not dependent on maternal SP-A in the nonhygienic exposure. At baseline, SP-A null milk contained physiologically meaningful increases in two proinflammatory cytokines compared with WT milk. The lack of SP-A plus the nonhygienic environmental exposure synergistically increased the number of proinflammatory cytokines contained in milk. Finally, the SP-A null genotype decreased pup survival during a nonhygienic environmental exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal SP-A impacts milk sIgA and cytokine content, and is associated with improved newborn health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Monisha P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gidvani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theisen
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leduc
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Caroline L S
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C042158:2,4-dinitrophenyl keyhole limpet hemocyanin; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D006433:Hemocyanins