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Original articles: M-M Grönlund, H Arvilommi, P Kero, O-P Lehtonen, and E Isolauri 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 Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2000; 83: F186-F192 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Early mucosal immunocompetence in infancy

BM Seidel, S Schubert   (8 December 2000)

Early mucosal immunocompetence in infancy 8 December 2000
BM Seidel, Division of Paediatric Immunology Children's Hospital, University of Leipzig, Germany, S Schubert Send letter to journal: Re: Early mucosal immunocompetence in infancy bseidel{at}web.de BM Seidel, et al.	Dear Editor, The study of Groenland et al contributes remarkably to the understanding of the role of intenstinal colonisation and the maturation of the mucosal immune system. However, with reference to reports of MacDonald,[1] Savilahti,[2] and Burgio et al,[3] they suggest that the mucosal immune system with its predominant secretory IgA is quantitatively and functionally defective for a variable period after birth. Within the last 10 years growing evidence could be found that the mucosal immune system is well established and we have recently shown that high levels of secretory IgA can be found in saliva of newborn infants shorty after birth.[4] Additionally we could not analyse any significant differences in secretory IgA levels comparing preterm and term infants in their first 9 months of life.[5] We therefore believe that the mucosal immune in infancy is well developed as early as in the first days after birth and should be considered when evaluating the protective potential as well as the potential for developing allergic diseases. BM Seidel S Schubert Children's Hospital, University of Leipzig Division of Paediatric Immunology Oststrasse 21-25 04317 Leipzig, Germany References (1) MacDonald TT. Development of mucosal immune function in man: potential for GI disease states. Acta Paediatr Jpn 1994;36:532-6. (2) Savilahti E. Immunoglobulin-containing cells in thew intestinal mucosa and immunoglobilins in the intestinal juice in children. Clin Exp Immunol 1972;11:415-25. (3) Burgio GR, Lanzavecchia A, Plebani A, Jayakar S, Ugazio AG. Ontogeny of secretory immunity: levels of secretory IgA and natural antibodies in saliva. Pediatr Res 1980;14:1111-14. (4) Seidel BM, Schulze B, Kiess W, Vogtmann C, Borte M. Determination of secretory IgA and albumin in saliva of newborn infants. Biol Neonate 2000;78:186-90. (5) Seidel BM, Schulze B, Schubert S, Borte M. Oral mucosal immunocompetence in preterm infants in the first 9 months. Eur J Pediatr 2000;159:789.