Naturally occurring tolerance acquisition to foods in previously allergic children is characterized by antigen specificity and associated with increased subsets of regulatory T cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Food allergy affects approximately 6-8% of children, and increasing in prevalence. Some children naturally outgrow their food allergy without intervention, but the mechanisms by which this occurs remain poorly understood. We sought to investigate the role of regulatory T cells in the development of naturally acquired tolerance.

Methods

Fifty-eight children (1-18 years) with either egg or peanut allergy, recent acquisition of natural tolerance to egg or peanut, or no food allergy were studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from these groups were stimulated with relevant antigen for 48 h and flow cytometry performed to characterize both surface (CD3, CD4, CD25, CD14, CD19, and CD127) and intracellular markers (IL-10, Foxp3, and IL-5).

Results

Rest

SUBMITTER: Qamar N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4607624 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature