Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: The role of casein-specific IgA and TGF-β in children with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome to milk.

Authors: Konstantinou, George N; Bencharitiwong, Ramon; Grishin, Alexander; Caubet, Jean-Christoph; Bardina, Luda; Sicherer, Scott H; Sampson, Hugh A; Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna

Published In Pediatr Allergy Immunol, (2014 Nov)

Abstract: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a gastrointestinal hypersensitivity disorder with a poorly understood pathophysiology and no biomarkers to aid in diagnosis.To investigate humoral and cellular responses to casein in children with milk-FPIES, including the role of casein-specific (cs) IgA and T-cell mediated TGF-β responses.Thirty-one children previously diagnosed with milk-FPIES were challenged with milk. Twelve age-matched children with FPIES to other foods and 6 milk-tolerant children without a history of FPIES were used as controls. Casein-specific IgE, IgG, IgG4, and IgA were measured in serum and TGF-β levels in supernatants of casein-stimulated PBMCs.Twenty-six children with milk-FPIES reacted (active milk-FPIES) and five tolerated milk (milk-FPIES resolved) during food challenge. All of them had significantly lower levels of csIgG, csIgG4, and csIgA than control children (p-value<0.001). There were no TGF-β responses in supernatants of active milk-FPIES children.Children with milk-FPIES have low levels of csIgG, csIgG4, and csIgA. In particular, children with active FPIES to cow's milk have deficient T-cell mediated TGF-β responses to casein, rendering TGF-β a promising biomarker in identifying children who are likely to experience FPIES reactions to this allergen. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings, elucidate their role in FPIES pathophysiology, and establish the diagnostic utility of TGF-β in milk-induced FPIES.

PubMed ID: 25283440 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Allergens/immunology; Animals; Biomarkers/metabolism*; Caseins/immunology; Cattle; Cells, Cultured; Child; Child, Preschool; Enterocolitis/etiology; Enterocolitis/immunology*; Female; Humans; Immunization; Immunoglobulin A/metabolism; Immunoglobulin E/blood; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Milk Hypersensitivity/complications; Milk Hypersensitivity/immunology*; Milk/adverse effects; Milk/immunology; T-Lymphocytes/immunology*; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism*

Back
to Top