Can the concentration of immunomodulating factors in mature breastmilk be associated with food allergy in breastfed children

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of such immunomodulating factors as transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in mature human milk and to relate the levels of the above mentioned cytokines in mature breast milk to the occurence of food allergy in children during the first 24 months of life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on breastfeeding, symptoms of food allergy in children and breast milk samples were collected prospectively from birth to 24 months of age from 84 mothers participating in the Polish birth cohort of "EuroPrevall" study, in the years 2005-2007. Cytokine levels were measured in the whey with commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) kits. RESULTS: Ten out of the eighty four (11.9%) participating children had positive SPT and/or sIgE to food antigens. In 7 out of 84 (8.4%) children DBPCFC confirmed the diagnosis of food allergy. The median concentration of TGF-β1 was 21.94 pg/ml (range 10.47-83.19), TNF-α 1.46 pg/ml (range 0.35-16.50), IL- 101.83 pg/ml (range 0.58-31.04). There was a positive correlation between the concentration of IL-10 and TGF-β1. The level of TNF-α correlated positively with the duration of lactation (p=0.04). There was no significant difference between the concentration of IL-10, TGF-β1, TNF-α, in the mature breast milk of mothers of children with symptoms of allergy and positive SPT and/or sIgE, mothers of children with positive DBPCFC and in the milk of mothers of control children. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference between the concentration of IL-10, TGF-β1, TNF-α, in the mature breast milk of mothers of children with food allergy and in the breast milk of mothers of control children.