Abstract
IgE against mixtures of common food or respiratory allergens were determined by ELISA in healthy (n = 38) and allergic (n = 62) mothers and their children. Significantly higher level of IgE against respiratory allergens was found in sera of allergic mothers and in cord blood of their children. No correlation between antibody level in maternal and newborn’s sera was found; this argues against the transfer of IgE from mother to fetus and points rather to offspring’s intrauterine sensitization. Specific IgE level in cord blood was higher in children who developed later allergy than in children who did not. Specific IgE level in colostrum was low both in healthy and allergic mothers; there was no correlation between high concentration of IgE against respiratory allergens in sera of allergic mothers and their colostrum, which does not support the idea of IgE transport from blood to mammary gland. Only slightly increased colostral IgE was detected in allergic mothers whose children manifested allergy later. Allergy of the mother and high level of anti-allergen IgE in her serum and in cord blood are the main predictive factors of future occurrence of allergy in the offspring. A combination of several predictive factors could have higher prognostic value.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aallam J.P., Zivanovic O., Berg C., Gembruch U., Bieber T., Novak N.: In search for predictive factors for atopy in human cord blood. Allergy60, 743–750 (2005).
Bahna S.L., Keller M.A., Heiner D.C.: IgE and IgD in human colostrum and plasma. Pediatr.Res.16, 604–607 (1982).
Bergmann R.L., Edenharter G., Bergmann K.E., Guggenmoos-Holzmann I., Forster J., Bauer C.P., Wahn V., Zepp F., Wahn U.: Predictability of early atopy by cord blood-IgE and parental history. Clin.Exp.Allergy27, 752–760 (1997).
Bottcher M.F., Jenmalm M.C., Bjorksten B., Garofalo R.P.: Chemoattractant factors in breast milk from allergic and nonallergic mothers. Pediatr. Res.47, 592–597 (2000a).
Bottcher M.F., Jenmalm M.C., Garofalo R.P., Bjorksten B.: Cytokines in breast milk from allergic and nonallergic mothers. Pediatr.Res.47, 157–162 (2000b).
Bottcher M.F., Jenmalm M.C., Bjorksten B.: Cytokine, chemokine and secretory IgA levels in human milk in relation to atopic disease and IgA production in infants. Pediatr.Allergy Immunol.14, 35–41 (2003).
Businco L., Marchetti F., Pellegrini G., Perlini R.: Predictive value of cord blood IgE levels in ‘at-risk’ newborn babies and influence of type of feeding. Clin.Allergy13, 503–508 (1983).
Chang W.T., Sun H.L., Lue K.H., Chou M.C.: Predictability of early onset atopic dermatitis by cord blood IgE and parental history. Acta Paediatr. Taiwan46, 272–277 (2005).
Croner S., Kjellman N.I., Eriksson B., Roth A.: IgE screening in 1701 newborn infants and the development of atopic disease during infancy. Arch.Dis.Child57, 364–368 (1982).
Duchén K., Bjorksten B.: Total IgE levels in human colostrum. Pediatr.Allergy Immunol.7, 44–47 (1996).
Hansen L.G., Host A., Halken S., Holmskov A., Husby S., Lassen L.B., Storm K., Osterballe O.: Cord blood IgE. II. Prediction of atopic disease. A follow-up at the age of 18 months. Allergy47, 397–403 (1992).
Hanson L.A., Korotkova M., Haversen L., Mattsby-Baltzer I., Hahn-Zoric M., Silfverdal S.A., Strandvik B., Telemo E.: Breast-feeding, a complex support system for the offspring. Pediatr.Internat.44, 347–352 (2002).
Kaan A., Mich-Ward H., Manfreda J., Becker A., Watson W., Ferguson A., Chan H., Chan-Yeung M.: Cord blood IgE: its determinants and prediction of development of asthma and other allergic disorders at 12 months. Ann.Allergy Asthma Immunol.84, 37–42 (2000).
Kobayashi Y., Kondo N., Shinoda S., Agata H., Fukutomi O., Orii T.: Predictive values of cord blood IgE and cord blood lymphocyte responses to food antigens in allergic disorders during infancy. J.Allergy Clin.Immunol.94, 907–916 (1994).
Kuiper S., Muris J.W., Dompeling E., XXXvan Schayck C.P., Schonberger H.J., Wesseling G., Knottnerus J.A.: Association between first-degree familial predisposition of asthma and atopy (total IgE) in newborns. Clin.Exp.Allergy36, 594–601 (2006).
Kull I., Almqvist C., Lilja G., Pershagen G., Wickman M.: Breast-feeding reduces the risk of asthma during the first 4 years of life. J.Allergy Clin.Immunol.114, 755–760 (2004).
Magnusson C.G.: Cord serum IgE in relation to family history and as predictor of atopic disease in early infancy. Allergy43, 241–251 (1988).
O’Connell E.J.: The burden of atopy and asthma in children. Allergy59(Suppl. 78), 7–11 (2004).
Pilette C., Durham S.R., Vaerman J.P., Sibille Y.: Mucosal immunity in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a role for immunoglobulin A? Proc.Am.Thorac.Soc.1, 125–135 (2004).
Ruiz R.G., Kemeny D.M., Price J.F.: Higher risk of infantile atopic dermatitis from maternal atopy than from paternal atopy. Clin.Exp.Allergy22, 762–766 (1992).
Shah S., Bapat M.M.: Parental history of allergy, maternal serum IgE & cord serum IgE. Indian J.Med.Sci.60, 13–18 (2006).
Shirakawa T., Morimoto K., Sasaki S., Taniguchi K., Motonaga M., Akahori W., Akahori S., Akahori T., Ohmori H., Kuroda E., Okabe K., Yugari K., Yamana M.: Effect of maternal lifestyle on cord blood IgE factor. Eur.J.Epidemiol.13, 395–402 (1997).
Strimas J.H., Chi D.S.: Significance of IgE level in amniotic fluid and cord blood for the prediction of allergy. Ann.Allergy61, 133–136 (1988).
Sverremark E.E., Nilsson C., Holmlund U., XXXvan der Ploeg I., Sandstedt B., Lilja G., Scheynius A.: IgE is expressed on, but not produced by, fetal cells in the human placenta irrespective of maternal atopy. Clin.Exp.Immunol.127, 274–282 (2002).
Tariq S.M., Matthews S.M., Hakim E.A., Stevens M., Arshad S.H., Hide D.W.: The prevalence of and risk factors for atopy in early childhood: a whole population birth cohort study. J.Allergy Clin.Immunol.101, 587–593 (1998).
Taylor A., Verhagen J., Blaser K., Akdis M., Akdis C.A.: Mechanisms of immune suppression by interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β: the role of T regulatory cells. Immunology117, 433–442 (2006).
Thorarinsdottir H.K., Ludviksson B.R., Vikingsdottir T., Leopoldsdottir M.O., Ardal B., Jonsson T., Valdimarsson H., Arason G.J.: Childhood levels of immunoglobulins and mannan-binding lectin in relation to infections and allergy. Scand.J.Immunol.61, 466–474 (2005).
Thornton C.A., Holloway J.A., Popplewell E.J., Shute J.K., Boughton J., Warner J.O.: Fetal exposure to intact immunoglobulin E occurs via the gastrointestinal tract. Clin.Exp.Allergy33, 306–311 (2003).
Wahn U., Bergmann R.L., Nickel R.: Early life markers of atopy and asthma. Clin.Exp.Allergy28(Suppl. 1), 20–21 (1998).
Warner J.O.: The early life origins of asthma and related allergic disorders. Arch.Dis.Child89, 97–102 (2004).
Wijga A.H., XXXvan Houwelingen A.C., Kerkhof M., Tabak C., XXXde Jongste J.C., Gerritsen J., Boshuizen H., Brunekreef B., Smit H.A.: Breast milk fatty acids and allergic disease in preschool children: the prevention and incidence of asthma and mice allergy birth cohort study. J.Allergy Clin.Immunol.117, 440–447 (2006).
Žižka J., Kverka M., Novotná O., Staňková I., Lodinová-Žádníková R., Kocourková I., Šterzl I., Prokešová L.: Perinatal period cytokines related to increased risk of future allergy development. Folia Microbiol.52, 549–556 (2007).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prokešová, L., Novotná, O., Janatková, I. et al. IgE against food and respiratory allergens in healthy and allergic mothers and their children. Folia Microbiol 53, 67–72 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-008-0010-5
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-008-0010-5