Fetal exposure to intact immunoglobulin E occurs via the gastrointestinal tract

• Published in: Clinical and experimental allergy 2003-03, Vol.33 (3), p.306-311
• Main Authors: Thornton, C. A., Holloway, J. A., Popplewell, E. J., Shute, J. K., Boughton, J., Warner, J. O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergic diseases; amniotic fluid; Amniotic Fluid - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; breast milk; CD23; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fetal Blood - immunology; fetal gut; Fetus - immunology; General aspects; Gestational Age; Humans; Hypersensitivity - etiology; IgE; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunopathology; in utero; Intestines - immunology; Medical sciences; Milk, Human - immunology; Pregnancy; Receptors, IgE - analysis; Skin - immunology; Statistics, Nonparametric
• ISSN: 0954-7894; 1365-2222
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2003.01614.x

Summary Background Consideration of the evolutionary significance of IgE might provide insight into the immunological interactions occurring in utero and during early post‐natal life that regulate later atopic disease. Objective We postulated that the fetal gut is exposed to intact amniotic fluid IgE that might interact with local IgE receptors. Methods IgE levels in matched maternal blood and amniotic fluid (n = 47) or breast milk (n = 15) collected from pregnant women in the UK (Southampton) and Brazil (Sao Paulo) were studied. Expression of IgE receptors, FcɛRI and FcɛRII (CD23), in fetal gastrointestinal tract (n = 19) and skin (n = 11) was examined immunohistochemically. Results Human amniotic fluid at 16–18 weeks' gestation contained intact IgE at levels that increased as maternal circulating levels increased (Spearman's ρ = 0.897; P  37 weeks' gestation) amniotic fluid (ρ = 0.993; P