Abstract
It is unknown why allergic symptoms do not develop in all sensitized children. We analyzed prospectively the postnatal secretory IgA (SIgA) development and whether high SIgA levels would protect sensitized infants from developing allergic symptoms. Salivary total IgA and SIgA levels were determined by ELISA, and allergy development was investigated at 3, 6, and 12 mo and at 2 and 5 y in two birth cohorts in Estonia (n = 110) and Sweden (n = 91), two geographically adjacent countries with different living conditions and allergy incidence. Total and SIgA levels increased with age, reaching adult levels at the age of 5. Virtually, all salivary IgA in Estonian children was in the secretory form, while a major part of IgA in Swedish saliva lacked the secretory component up to 2 y of age. In Sweden, high levels of salivary IgA without secretory component correlated inversely with house dust endotoxin levels. High SIgA levels were associated with less development of allergic symptoms in sensitized Swedish children. In conclusion, postnatal maturation of the salivary SIgA system proceeds markedly slower in Swedish than Estonian children, possibly as a consequence of low microbial pressure. SIgA may limit allergy-mediated tissue damage at mucosal surfaces in sensitized individuals.
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Abbreviations
- EU:
-
endotoxin units
- LPS:
-
lipopolysaccharide
- pIgR:
-
polymeric immunoglobulin receptor
- SC:
-
secretory component
- SIgA:
-
secretory IgA
- SPT:
-
skin prick test
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Acknowledgements
We thank the research nurse Lena Lindell for her enthusiastic work guiding the families through the study and all sampling procedures; Ulrika Bengtsson, Anne-Marie Fornander, and Tiina Rebane for excellent technical assistance; and Dr. Karel Duchén for clinical evaluation. We also thank Professor Patrick Holt and Professor Per Brandtzaeg for critical reading and their valuable suggestions for improving the manuscript.
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Supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council, the National Heart and Lung Association, The Vårdal Foundation for Health Care Sciences and Allergy Research, the National Swedish Association against Allergic Diseases, and the County Council of Östergötland.
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
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Fagerås, M., Tomičić, S., Voor, T. et al. Slow Salivary Secretory IgA Maturation May Relate to Low Microbial Pressure and Allergic Symptoms in Sensitized Children. Pediatr Res 70, 572–577 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e318232169e
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e318232169e
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