Imbalance between Th1 and Th2 cells in cord blood is influenced by maternal allergic rhinitis and associated with atopic dermatitis during the first two years of life.

Hongfei Lou; Yujing FU; Chengshuo Wang; Yang Wang; Luo Zhang

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Imbalance between Th1 and Th2 cells in cord blood is influenced by maternal allergic rhinitis and associated with atopic dermatitis during the first two years of life.

Author: Hongfei LOU ¹ ; Yujing FU ; Chengshuo WANG ; Yang WANG ; Luo ZHANG ²
Author Information

1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Beijing 100730, China.
2. Email: dr.luozhang@gmail.com.
Publication Type:Journal Article
MeSH: Adult; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic; immunology; Female; Fetal Blood; cytology; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Immunoglobulin E; blood; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Mothers; Prospective Studies; Rhinitis, Allergic; blood; immunology; Th1 Cells; cytology; Th1-Th2 Balance; Th2 Cells; cytology
From: Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2014;49(5):390-394
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of maternal atopy on cord blood effector T cells and to identify these biologic markers as predictors of atopic dermatitis (AD).
METHODSSeventy mother-infant pairs were recruited in this prospective birth cohort study. Suspected factors for allergy, including maternal allergic history, total serum IgE, and maternal age at birth, were collected. Mother peripheral blood samples and cord blood were obtained and assayed for the percentage of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) producing T cells(Th1 and Th2 respectively) using flow cytometry. Their offspring at the age of 2 years old were evaluated by their dermatologist whether they had AD. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression models and receiver-operating characteristic curve was employed to predict atopic dermatitis.
RESULTSTwenty-one allergic and 49 nonallergic mothers were recruited in this study. During the first two years of life, 15.7% children (n = 11) developed a physician-diagnosed AD (all children were the only child in the family). In group with maternal allergic rhinitis, a significantly increased percentage of Th2 was observed in peripheral blood of mother (7.10[1.18;16.1]% vs. 0.37[0.25;0.72]%, U = 10.0, P < 0.05) and cord blood of newborns (1.02[0.57;1.34]% vs. 0.21[0.15;0.42]%, U = 127.5, P < 0.05), respectively. Maternal atopic history did not affect the percentage of Th1 cells in cord blood (0.69[0.40;1.12]% vs.0.50[0.31;0.66]%, U = 361.0, P > 0.05). Children with reduced Th1/Th2 ratio in cord blood had a higher risk to develop AD (OR = 1.72, P = 0.001) . The model including Th1/Th2, maternal allergy, maternal age at birth and maternal total IgE showed high ability to discriminate children with and without AD. AUC was 0.907 (95% CI: 0.804-1.011, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONSElevated IL-4⁺CD4⁺ T cells in cord blood were of relevance with maternal allergic history. Imbalance between Th1 cell and Th2 cell at birth are associated with maternal allergy and promoted subsequent AD development.