title: Maternal obesity alters immune cell frequencies and responses in umbilical cord blood samples.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal obesity is one of the several key factors thought to modulate neonatal immune system development. Data from murine studies demonstrate worse outcomes in models of infection, autoimmunity, and allergic sensitization in offspring of obese dams. In humans, children born to obese mothers are at increased risk for asthma. These findings suggest a dysregulation of immune function in the children of obese mothers; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal body weight and the human neonatal immune system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from infants born to lean, overweight, and obese mothers. Frequency and function of major innate and adaptive immune cell populations were quantified using flow cytometry and multiplex analysis of circulating factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to babies born to lean mothers, babies of obese mothers had fewer eosinophils and CD4 T helper cells, reduced monocyte and dendritic cell responses to Toll-like receptor ligands, and increased plasma levels of IFN-α2 and IL-6 in cord blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the hypothesis that maternal obesity influences programming of the neonatal immune system, providing a potential link to increased incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular disease in the offspring.
authors: Graduate program in Cel, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors: Randall M
authors: RM
authors: Wilson
authors: Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors: Nicole E
authors: NE
authors: Marshall
authors: Department of Statistics, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors: Daniel R
authors: DR
authors: Jeske
authors: Department of Medicine, The Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors: Jonathan Q
authors: JQ
authors: Purnell
authors: Department of Medicine, The Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors: Kent
authors: K
authors: Thornburg
authors: Graduate program in Cel, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.|Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors: Ilhem
authors: I
authors: Messaoudi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: T cells; asthma; cytokine; dendritic cells; maternal obesity; monocytes; toll-like receptor