Reaction of human colostral and early milk antibodies with oral streptococci

Abstract

Colostrum or early breast milk or both from each of 16 healthy women contained agglutinating antibodies for all normal streptococcal inhabitants of the human oral cavity (S. mutans, S. sanguis, S. mitis, and S. salivarius), including those which colonize the neonatal oral cavity in significant numbers. Agglutination correlated with the amount of immunoglobulin A (IgA) binding to bacterial surfaces as measured by mixed reverse passive antiglobulin hemagglutination. Surprisingly, colostral IgA agglutinated our control organism, Brucella abortus. Low levels of colostral or milk IgM and IgG antibodies also reacted with all of the test bacteria. Absorption studies with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that a proportion of antibodies in colostrum and early milk is specific for each of the different oral streptococci. Fractionation on Sepharose 4B indicated that 11S secretory IgA is the predominant form of colostral and milk antibody for all of the test bacteria, including B. abortus. No evidence was found that reactions other than antigen-antibody reactions resulted in binding of colostral immunoglobulins by any of the test bacteria. The spectrum of antibacterial antibodies in human colostrum and early milk is of interest in understanding the role of secretory antibodies both during immediate postnatal development and in subsequent development and control of a normal gastrointestinal tract flora. This role of secretory

The Mammary Gland in Mucosal and Regional Immunity

“…The suggestion by Bohl and Saif (1975), that milk IgA in sows originated from IgA ACC that were derived from cells stimulated in the GI tract has been confirmed by experiments in mice and swine (Salmon, 1987) showing that plasmablasts from the gut home to the lactating MG. Homing receptors and chemotactic factors in the MG may be responsible for their selective accumulation (Bourges et al, 2008;Czinn and Lamm, 1986;Salmon, 1999). The predominance of IgA antibodies in human milk to oral and intestinal microorganisms suggests that a similar axis occurs in primates (Ahlstedt et al, 1975;Allardyce et al, 1974;Eggert and Gurner, 1984;Holmgren et al, 1976).…”

Oral Microbial Ecology and the Role of Salivary Immunoglobulin A

“…This cell distribution pathway from inductive tissues such as GALT to mucosal and glandular distant tissues has been termed the common mucosal immune system. Support for the existence of a common mucosal immune system is the finding of naturally specific IgA in secretions of glands not directly stimulated by antigens (10,72,123). Furthermore, experimental work with animal and humans has demonstrated that oral administration of bacterial antigens induces specific SIgA antibodies in saliva and other secretions (99,101,170,325,327,333).…”

“…Colostrum and milk also contain antibodies that are directed against resident oral streptococci (S. mitis, S. salivarius, S. mutans, and S. sanguis), including those that colonize the oral cavity of neonates, as well as mutans streptococci (10,72,123). It has been found that breast-fed infants are less caries susceptible than are bottle-fed infants (473).…”

Biological mechanisms of early childhood caries

“…IgA related to mutans streptococci is found in high concentrations in breast milk (134,135), and controlled animal studies have reported less dental caries in those which suckled on breast milk con-…”