Importance of intestinal colonisation in the maturation of humoral immunity in early infancy: a prospective follow up study of healthy infants aged 0-6 months
M-M Grönlunda b, H Arvilommic, P Keroa, O-P Lehtonenb, E Isolauria
a Department of
Paediatrics, Turku University Central Hospital, Turku, Finland, b Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Central
Hospital, c National Public Health Institute, Turku, Finland
Correspondence to: Dr Grönlund, Department of Paediatrics, Turku University Central Hospital, Box 52, FI-20521 Turku, Finland minna-maija.gronlund{at}utu.fi
Accepted 12 May 2000
AIM
To evaluate the
role of intestinal microflora and early formula feeding in the
maturation of humoral immunity in healthy newborn infants.
STUDY DESIGN
Sixty
four healthy infants were studied. Faecal colonisation with
Bacteroides fragilis group,
Bifidobacterium-like, and
Lactobacillus-like bacteria was examined at
1, 2, and 6 months of age, and also the number of IgA-secreting,
IgM-secreting, and IgG-secreting cells (detected by ELISPOT) at 0, 2, and 6 months of age.
RESULTS
Intestinal
colonisation with bacteria from the B
fragilis group was more closely associated with maturation of
IgA-secreting and IgM-secreting cells than colonisation with the other
bacterial genera studied or diet. Infants colonised with
B fragilis at 1 month of age had more
IgA-secreting and IgM-secreting cells/106 mononuclear cells
at 2 months of age (geometric mean (95% confidence interval) 1393 (962 to 2018) and 754 (427 to 1332) respectively) than infants not colonised
(1015 (826 to 1247) and 394 (304 to 511) respectively); p = 0.04 and
p = 0.009 respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The type
of bacteria colonising the intestine of newborns and the timing may
determine the immunomodulation of the naive immune system.
Keywords: intestinal colonisation; immune system; immunoglobulin secreting cell; ELISPOT; humoral immunity; delivery method
© 2000 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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