Abstract
We have previously shown that oral tolerance (OT) cannot be induced in newborn mice fed with ovalbumin (OA) at a dosage (1mg/g weight) known to induce systemic immune hyporesponsiveness in adult animals (1). We have also demonstrated that adoptive transfer of serum collected 1 hr after feeding OA induces antigen-specific suppression of systemic DTH responses in adult mice (2). The absence of neonatal OT induction could be responsible for clinical food hypersensitivity since this is most common in infancy. The underlying mechanisms may be due to immaturity of the immune system anoVor the failure of the antigen processing by the gut. In cur studies groups (n=6-10) of adult and neonatal BALB/C mice, including appropriate age-matched controls, were used. Serum collected 1 hr after feeding OA to adult mice was transferred (50ul/g weight) to mice aged 1, 3 and 42 days. Recipients were immunised with QA/CFA 4 weeks later. Systemic immune responses were measured 3 weeks after immunisation. The results show that systemic DTH responses were significantly suppressed (60%) in adult mice (p<0.01). In contrast, neonatal mice did not show suppression of DTH responses (p>0.5).
Conclusions: These findings suggest that immaturity of the antigen processing capacity of the gut is not the sole factor underlying the prevention of OT induction in neonates. The immaturity of the gut associated and/or systemic immune system is probably more important.
1. S Strobel et al. Paediatr Res (1984); 18:588.
2. S Strobel et al. Immunology (1983); 49:451.
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Strobel, S., Peng, H., Turner, M. et al. 4 NEONATAL AND ADULT MICE DIFFER IN THEIR IMMUNE RESPONSES TO GUT PROCESSED ANTIGEN. Pediatr Res 24, 405 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198809000-00027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198809000-00027