Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2025
Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus
Published on: July 31, 2021
Assessing immune factors in maternal milk and paired infant plasma antibody binding to human rhinoviruses
Jessica M Vera1,2, Sean J McIlwain1,2, Samantha Fye3
1Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.
Insights
Newborns gain immunity from maternal IgG and IgA. This study mapped infant and maternal antibody responses to Rhinovirus (RV) epitopes, revealing key targets for protection against common childhood respiratory infections.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infants rely on maternal IgG and IgA for protection against infections like Rhinovirus (RV).
- RV infections are common in early childhood, ranging from mild to severe respiratory illnesses.
- Understanding infant immune responses to RV is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To profile infant and maternal antibody reactivity to human Rhinovirus (RV) using high-density peptide arrays.
- To identify specific RV epitopes recognized by maternal IgG and breast milk IgA in infants.
- To investigate antibody responses to RV-C species, including characteristic VP1 protein loop sequences.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-density peptide arrays to analyze antibody binding.
- Examined antibody reactivity to capsid and full proteome sequences of three human RV types (A16, B52, C11).
- Profiled 62 unique RV-C protein loop sequences.
Main Results:
- Identified numerous IgG and IgA epitopes in RV capsid and non-structural proteins.
- Observed both shared and isotype/RV-specific antibody binding patterns.
- Found significant IgG binding to RV-C loop sequences in one-year-old infants.
Conclusions:
- Maternal and infant antibodies target diverse RV epitopes.
- Specific RV-C loop sequences are recognized by infant IgG, suggesting active infections or cross-reactivity.
- Findings provide insights into infant humoral immunity against RV.
Introduction:
Before they can produce their own antibodies, newborns are protected from infections by transplacental transfer of maternal IgG antibodies and after birth through breast milk IgA antibodies. Rhinovirus (RV) infections are extremely common in early childhood, and while RV infections often result in only mild upper respiratory illnesses, they can also cause severe lower respiratory illnesses such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
Methods:
We used high-density peptide arrays to profile infant and maternal antibody reactivity to capsid and full proteome sequences of three human RVs - A16, B52, and C11.
Results:
Numerous plasma IgG and breast milk IgA RV epitopes were identified that localized to regions of the RV capsid surface and interior, and also to several non-structural proteins. While most epitopes were bound by both IgG and IgA, there were several instances where isotype-specific and RV-specific binding were observed. We also profiled 62 unique RV-C protein loop sequences characteristic of this species' capsid VP1 protein.
Discussion:
Many of the RV-C loop sequences were highly bound by IgG from one-year-old infants, indicating recent or ongoing active infections, or alternatively, a level of cross-reactivity among homologous RV-C sites.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
01:19Rh Blood Group