Regulatory T cells and T helper subsets in breast-fed infants with hematochezia caused by allergic colitis

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010 Nov;51(5):675-7. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181e85b22.

Abstract

The objective of our study was to investigate the prevalence of CD4 T lymphocyte subsets and their commitment to TH1 or TH2 direction in 10 infants with allergic colitis (AC) and 10 healthy controls. Infants with AC presented with a higher ratio of naïve to memory cells, lower prevalence of activated CD4CD25 cells and FoxP3 regulatory cells, and a shift to TH2 direction in balance compared with controls. These alterations are normalized upon cessation of AC symptoms on elemental L-amino acid formula. These findings suggest the importance of antigen exposure in AC in infancy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / pharmacology
  • Amino Acids / therapeutic use
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Breast Feeding*
  • CD4 Antigens
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Colitis / immunology*
  • Female
  • Food Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / immunology
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Formula
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Milk, Human / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory* / drug effects
  • Th1-Th2 Balance*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Antigens
  • CD4 Antigens
  • FOXP3 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit