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Exposure of the fetus and infant to hens' egg ovalbumin via the placenta and breast milk in relation to maternal intake of dietary egg

Exposure of the fetus and infant to hens' egg ovalbumin via the placenta and breast milk in relation to maternal intake of dietary egg
Exposure of the fetus and infant to hens' egg ovalbumin via the placenta and breast milk in relation to maternal intake of dietary egg
Background: Maternally derived allergens may be transferred to the developing infant during pregnancy and lactation. However, it is not known how manipulation of environmental allergen levels might impact on this early-life exposure.
Objective: To measure dietary egg allergen (ovalbumin (OVA)) in gestation-associated environments, in relation to maternal dietary egg intake.
Method: OVA was measured by allergen-specific ELISA in maternal blood collected throughout pregnancy, infant blood at birth (umbilical cord) and in breast milk at 3 months post-partum. Samples derived from pregnant women undergoing diagnostic amniocentesis at 16–18 weeks gestation who were not subject to any dietary intervention, and from pregnant women, with personal or partner atopy, randomized to complete dietary egg exclusion or an unmodified healthy diet before 20 weeks gestation as a primary allergy prevention strategy. Maternal dietary egg intake was monitored closely throughout the study period by diary record and serial measurement of OVA-specific immunoglobulin G concentration.
Results: Circulating OVA was detected throughout pregnancy in 20% of women and correlated with both presence (P<0.001) and concentration (r=0.754, P<0.001) of infant OVA at birth (umbilical cord). At 3 months post-partum OVA was detected in breast milk samples of 35% women, in higher concentrations than measured in blood. Blood and breast milk OVA were not related to maternal dietary intake or atopic pre-disposition.
Conclusions: Rigorous dietary egg exclusion does not eliminate trans-placental and breast milk egg allergen passage. This early-life exposure could modulate developing immune responses.
atopy, breast milk, elimination diet, fetal blood, hens' egg ovalbumin
1318-1326
Vance, G.H.S.
8ed79f14-bd4e-467e-b84d-9aba60f74f57
Lewis, S.A.
fb9dc5ac-21d9-4dfe-b917-fc87116170e2
Grimshaw, K.E.C.
766b6cf0-347a-447d-aeab-f07366f8ce28
Wood, P.J.
f0dfe718-fa0f-43b1-9b2d-4bdc9c41320a
Briggs, R.A.
e38a0297-4c5a-4933-bd3a-0048e72b8f74
Thornton, C.A.
898d425c-5242-458e-8862-852109ee0a64
Warner, J.O.
c232f1e5-62eb-46e6-8b0c-4836b45b36a5
Vance, G.H.S.
8ed79f14-bd4e-467e-b84d-9aba60f74f57
Lewis, S.A.
fb9dc5ac-21d9-4dfe-b917-fc87116170e2
Grimshaw, K.E.C.
766b6cf0-347a-447d-aeab-f07366f8ce28
Wood, P.J.
f0dfe718-fa0f-43b1-9b2d-4bdc9c41320a
Briggs, R.A.
e38a0297-4c5a-4933-bd3a-0048e72b8f74
Thornton, C.A.
898d425c-5242-458e-8862-852109ee0a64
Warner, J.O.
c232f1e5-62eb-46e6-8b0c-4836b45b36a5

Vance, G.H.S., Lewis, S.A., Grimshaw, K.E.C., Wood, P.J., Briggs, R.A., Thornton, C.A. and Warner, J.O. (2005) Exposure of the fetus and infant to hens' egg ovalbumin via the placenta and breast milk in relation to maternal intake of dietary egg. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 35 (10), 1318-1326. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2005.02346.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Maternally derived allergens may be transferred to the developing infant during pregnancy and lactation. However, it is not known how manipulation of environmental allergen levels might impact on this early-life exposure.
Objective: To measure dietary egg allergen (ovalbumin (OVA)) in gestation-associated environments, in relation to maternal dietary egg intake.
Method: OVA was measured by allergen-specific ELISA in maternal blood collected throughout pregnancy, infant blood at birth (umbilical cord) and in breast milk at 3 months post-partum. Samples derived from pregnant women undergoing diagnostic amniocentesis at 16–18 weeks gestation who were not subject to any dietary intervention, and from pregnant women, with personal or partner atopy, randomized to complete dietary egg exclusion or an unmodified healthy diet before 20 weeks gestation as a primary allergy prevention strategy. Maternal dietary egg intake was monitored closely throughout the study period by diary record and serial measurement of OVA-specific immunoglobulin G concentration.
Results: Circulating OVA was detected throughout pregnancy in 20% of women and correlated with both presence (P<0.001) and concentration (r=0.754, P<0.001) of infant OVA at birth (umbilical cord). At 3 months post-partum OVA was detected in breast milk samples of 35% women, in higher concentrations than measured in blood. Blood and breast milk OVA were not related to maternal dietary intake or atopic pre-disposition.
Conclusions: Rigorous dietary egg exclusion does not eliminate trans-placental and breast milk egg allergen passage. This early-life exposure could modulate developing immune responses.

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More information

Published date: 2005
Keywords: atopy, breast milk, elimination diet, fetal blood, hens' egg ovalbumin

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 25008
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/25008
PURE UUID: 4c06ff83-35da-4ce3-aa75-053f0cd4b2a5

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Date deposited: 04 Apr 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 06:59

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Contributors

Author: G.H.S. Vance
Author: S.A. Lewis
Author: K.E.C. Grimshaw
Author: P.J. Wood
Author: R.A. Briggs
Author: C.A. Thornton
Author: J.O. Warner

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