title: Infant gut immunity: a preliminary study of IgA associations with breastfeeding.
abstract: Secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) plays a critical role in gut mucosal immune defense. Initially provided by breastmilk, IgA production by the infant gut is gradually stimulated by developing gut microbiota. This study reports associations between infant fecal IgA concentrations 4 months after birth, breastfeeding status and other pre/postnatal exposures in 47 infants in the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development cohort. Breastfed infants and first-born infants had higher median fecal IgA concentrations (23.11 v. 9.34 µg/g protein, P<0.01 and 22.19 v. 8.23 µg/g protein, P=0.04). IgA levels increased successively with exclusivity of breastfeeding (β-coefficient, 0.37, P<0.05). This statistical association was independent of maternal parity and household pets. In the absence of breastfeeding, female sex and pet exposure elevated fecal IgA to levels found in breastfed infants. In addition to breastfeeding, infant fecal IgA associations with pre/postnatal exposures may affect gut immunity and risk of allergic disease.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pediatrics,University of Alberta,Edmonton, AB,Canada.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bridgman
authors.affiliation: 2Dalla Lana School of Public Health,University of Toronto,Toronto, ON,Canada.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konya
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Pediatrics and Child Health,Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba,University of Manitoba,Winnipeg, MB,Canada.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Azad
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Medicine,de Groote School of Medicine,McMaster University,Hamilton, ON,Canada.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Pediatrics and Child Health,Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba,University of Manitoba,Winnipeg, MB,Canada.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: 5Department of Pediatrics,Child & Family Research Institute and BC Children's Hospital,University of British Columbia,Vancouver, BC,Canada.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Turvey
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pediatrics,University of Alberta,Edmonton, AB,Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mandhane
authors.affiliation: 6Department of Pediatrics,Hospital for Sick Children,University of Toronto,Toronto, ON,Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Subbarao
authors.affiliation: 2Dalla Lana School of Public Health,University of Toronto,Toronto, ON,Canada.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: 8Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences,University of Alberta,Edmonton, AB,Canada.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Field
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pediatrics,University of Alberta,Edmonton, AB,Canada.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kozyrskyj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D007223:Infant; D010298:Parity; D057805:Pets
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A
keywords: breastfeeding; immunoglobulin A; parity; pets