Sex differences in the early life correlates of natural antibody concentrations.
Innate-like B1a lymphocytes arise from long-lived progenitors produced exclusively by fetal stem cells. Any insults coinciding with this early lymphopoietic wave could have a permanent impact on the B1a population and its unique protein products, the natural antibodies (NAb). We investigated early life nutritional influences on NAb concentrations of pre-adolescent children (n=290) in rural Nepal for whom we had extensive information on exposures from pregnancy and early infancy. Infant size and growth were strongly associated with NAb concentrations at 9-13 years of age among males (e.g., for neonatal weight: βBOYS=0.43; P<0.001), but not females (e.g., for neonatal weight: βGIRLS=-0.16; P=0.26). In females, season of birth was associated with NAb concentrations, with marked reductions among girls born during the pre-monsoon (March-May; βGIRLS=-0.39; P=0.01) and pre-harvest (September-November; βGIRLS=-0.35; P=0.03) seasons. Our findings suggest that nutritional or other environmental influences on immune development may vary by sex, with potential consequences for immune function during infancy and long-term risk of immune-mediated disease.
1Department of International Health,Center for Human Nutrition,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
A C
AC
Palmer
1Department of International Health,Center for Human Nutrition,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
K J
KJ
Schulze
1Department of International Health,Center for Human Nutrition,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
S K
SK
Khatry
1Department of International Health,Center for Human Nutrition,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
L M
LM
De Luca
1Department of International Health,Center for Human Nutrition,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
K P
KP
West
D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012737:Sex Factors
D000906:Antibodies
immune development; lymphopoiesis; programming; sexual dimorphism