title: Infant milk formulas differ regarding their allergenic activity and induction of T-cell and cytokine responses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several hydrolyzed cow's milk (CM) formulas are available for avoidance of allergic reactions in CM-allergic children and for prevention of allergy development in high-risk infants. Our aim was to compare CM formulas regarding the presence of immunoreactive CM components, IgE reactivity, allergenic activity, ability to induce T-cell proliferation, and cytokine secretion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A blinded analysis of eight CM formulas, one nonhydrolyzed, two partially hydrolyzed (PH), four extensively hydrolyzed (EH), and one amino acid formula, using biochemical techniques and specific antibody probes was conducted. IgE reactivity and allergenic activity of the formulas were tested with sera from CM-allergic patients (n = 26) in RAST-based assays and with rat basophils transfected with the human FcεRI, respectively. The induction of T-cell proliferation and the secretion of cytokines in Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture from CM allergic patients and nonallergic individuals were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immune-reactive α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin were found in the two PH formulas and casein components in one of the EH formulas. One PH formula and the EH formula containing casein components showed remaining IgE reactivity, whereas the other hydrolyzed formulas lacked IgE reactivity. Only two EH formulas and the amino acid formula did not induce T-cell proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine release. The remaining formulas varied regarding the induction of Th2, Th1, and proinflammatory cytokines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that certain CM formulas without allergenic and low proinflammatory properties can be identified and they may also explain different outcomes obtained in clinical studies using CM formulas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hochwallner
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical & Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schulmeister
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Swoboda
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Focke-Tejkl
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical & Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reininger
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Civaj
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis & Therapy, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thalhamer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis & Therapy, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheiblhofer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical & Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balic
authors.affiliation: Allergy Centre Vienna West, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Horak
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, Germany.|Department of Dermatology and Allergy Center, Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ollert
authors.affiliation: Allergy Research Center, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.|Center for Pediatrics and Child Health, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quirce
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szepfalusi
authors.affiliation: Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN, USA.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Herz
authors.affiliation: Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN, USA.
authors.forename: E A F
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: van Tol
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical & Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spitzauer
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenta
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: T-cell reactivity; cow's milk allergy; hydrolyzed milk formulas; pro-inflammatory cytokines