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Characteristics of immune function of full-term infants with different feeding patterns at the age of 3 months: a

Jing-Ran Ma1, Zheng-Hong Li1, Wen-Juan Zhang

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Beijing 100730, China (Li Z-H,

Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics
|November 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Breastfeeding is linked to distinct immune cell profiles in 3-month-old infants compared to formula feeding. Feeding patterns influence T cell subsets, impacting infant immune development.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infant Nutrition

Background:

  • Infant immune system development is crucial for long-term health.
  • Feeding patterns, including breastfeeding and formula feeding, may influence immune maturation.
  • Understanding these influences can inform infant care practices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the immune function of healthy 3-month-old infants.
  • To analyze the relationship between immune function, feeding patterns, and sex.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 84 healthy full-term infants in China.
  • Infants categorized into breastfeeding and formula feeding groups.
  • Peripheral blood samples analyzed for cellular and humoral immunity at 3 months.

Main Results:

  • Breastfed infants showed lower CD28+ T cells, immunoglobulin M, and neutrophils compared to formula-fed infants.
  • Breastfed infants had higher HLA-DR expression on CD8+ T cells and a higher lymphocyte proportion.
  • Male infants had lower white blood cell counts and higher eosinophil proportions than females.

Conclusions:

  • Feeding patterns, not sex, significantly affect T cell subsets (CD28+ and HLA-DR+) in 3-month-old infants.
  • Feeding patterns play a role in the development of infant immune function.
  • These findings highlight the immunological impact of infant feeding choices.
Abstract

Keywords:
Feeding patternImmunoglobulinInfantLymphocyte subset

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