Maternal vitamin D and E intakes during early pregnancy are associated with airway epithelial cell responses in neonates

Abstract

Results AEC mediator release was greater following TNF-a/IL-1b, HDM or LPS stimulation compared to constitutive release. Increased maternal dietary vitamin D was associated with significant increases in IL-10 release by AEC after stimulation with TNF-a/IL-1b (P = 0.024) or HDM (P = 0.049). Maternal plasma a-tocopherol at 10-12 weeks gestation was positively associated with MIP1a (Spearman's rho 0.242, P = 0.009) and IL-3 (q 0.189, P = 0.043) responses after TNF-a/IL-1b stimulation and negatively associated with TNF (q -0.404, P = 0.011) and MIP1b (q -0.322, P = 0.046) responses after LPS stimulation. Discussion Neonatal AECs respond to pro-inflammatory and allergenic stimuli in vitro demonstrating their potential to function as components of the innate immune response. Our findings suggest that associations exist between maternal micronutrient intake during early pregnancy and aspects of stimulated neonatal airway epithelial cell secretory function that may in turn impact on the development of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis in later life.

Does allergy begin in utero?

“…Higher maternal dietary vitamin C levels reduces the risk of any allergic disease and wheeze, and higher maternal copper consumption reduces the risk of eczema, wheeze and any allergic disease . Maternal intakes of vitamins D and E during pregnancy alter neonatal airway epithelial cell responsiveness and are inversely associated with the risk of having doctor‐diagnosed asthma at age 10 . The mother can also obtain vitamin D through sunlight exposure, constituting a possible mechanism for the effect of season of birth on allergic disease risk.…”

Dietary total antioxidant capacity in early school age and subsequent allergic disease

“…Asthma, rhinitis and sensitization in children and adolescents are public health concerns . The aetiology is likely to be multifactorial, and exposures during fetal life such as maternal diet in pregnancy have been suggested to influence the development . While asthma is rather common throughout childhood, the prevalence of rhinitis and that of sensitization to inhalant allergens increase from early school age to adolescence .…”

Pro‐inflammatory mediator responses from neonatal airway epithelial cells and early childhood wheeze

“…We have previously reported associations between maternal dietary exposures during pregnancy and neonatal AEC release of TNFα, IL‐10 and MIP‐1α/CCL3, and there were reductions in TNFα levels after LPS exposure among five children with recent wheeze (median concentration 5 pg/mg [1, 9]) compared to 31 without (median 11 [5, 19]) P = 0.038. There was no association between recent wheeze and neonatal AEC release of VEGF, MCP‐1/CCL2, IL‐17A, IFN‐ɣ, eotaxin, or MIP‐1β/CCL4 under any treatment conditions (see E‐Tables 2‐5 in the online supplement).…”

“…We have previously reported associations between maternal dietary exposures during pregnancy and neonatal AEC release of TNFα, IL-10 and MIP-1α/CCL3, 14 and there were reductions in TNFα levels after LPS exposure among five children with recent wheeze (median concentration 5 pg/mg [1,9]) compared to 31 without (median 11 [5,19]) P = 0.038.…”