Elevated serum immunoglobulin E in T cell-deficient infants fed cow's milk

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 66; no. 5; p. 402
• Main Author: Juto, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-11-1980
• Subjects: Aging; Animals; Cattle; Eating; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - biosynthesis; Infant; Leukocyte Count; Milk - immunology; Milk, Human - immunology; T-Lymphocytes
• ISSN: 0091-6749
• DOI: 10.1016/0091-6749(80)90120-7

Serum IgE levels at various ages during infancy were related to the number of T cells assessed at the age of 1 mo and type of feeding. Cow's milk-fed babies with low T cell counts had higher IgE at the ages of 3 and 6 mo than breast-fed babies with low T cell counts. Of the babies fed cow's milk, those with low T cell counts had higher IgE levels than those with normal T cell counts. Onset of cow's milk feeding before the age of 3 mo in babies with low T cell counts was associated with continuously elevated IgE during the first year of life, as compared with babies with normal T cell counts. However, when cow's milk feeding was instituted after the age of 3 mo such a difference was not noted. It is concluded that in T cell-deficient infants there might exist a critical period during which onset of cow's milk feeding is associated with subsequently increased IgE synthesis.