Impact of Maternal Diet During Pregnancy on Allergic Predisposition in Offspring: Immune Programming Mechanisms
1Department of Allergology, National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Warsaw, Poland.
Insights
Maternal diet during pregnancy impacts fetal immune programming. High intake of omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics by mothers reduced allergy risk in children by influencing gene methylation and neonatal immune profiles.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Nutritional Science
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Maternal dietary habits during pregnancy are crucial for fetal development.
- Understanding the link between maternal nutrition and infant allergy susceptibility is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how maternal diet influences fetal immune programming.
- To determine the impact on allergy susceptibility in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- 172 pregnant women were monitored for dietary intake and provided cord blood samples.
- Dietary data collected via questionnaires and food diaries.
- Newborn cord blood analyzed for immune markers and gene promoter methylation (FOXP3, IL-10, TGFβ1).
Main Results:
- Increased maternal intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and probiotics correlated with a balanced neonatal immune profile (e.g., higher IFN-γ, IL-10; lower IL-4, IgE).
- Higher omega-3 intake linked to reduced FOXP3 methylation; probiotics linked to IL-10 demethylation.
- Children born to mothers with high omega-3 and probiotic intake showed significantly lower rates of allergic susceptibility at 12 months.
Conclusions:
- Maternal nutrition during pregnancy significantly influences infant immune health and allergy development.
- Mechanisms involve epigenetic modifications (gene methylation) and altered neonatal immune profiles.
- Dietary interventions focusing on omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics may reduce allergy risk in offspring.
Background:
The aim of the study was to determine how dietary habits of pregnant women influence foetal immune programming and susceptibility to allergies in young children.
Material And Methods:
The study followed 172 healthy women aged 20-38 years from early pregnancy to one year postpartum in Warsaw, Poland. Dietary data were collected at 12, 24, and 36 weeks using a validated questionnaire and three-day food diaries. Immunological analysis of newborn cord blood included multiplex cytokine analysis, flow cytometry, PCR, and pyrosequencing of FOXP3, IL-10, and TGFβ1 gene promoter regions.
Results:
The results showed an increased intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and probiotics, accompanied by a decreased intake of allergenic foods. This was accompanied by a balanced immune profile in neonates: increased interferon gamma (IFN-γ) (12.36 pg/ml) and IL-10 (9.21 pg/ml), decreased interleukin 4 (IL-4) (5.82 pg/ml) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) (1.62 IU/ml), indicating a decrease in T helper 2 (Th2)-direction. Higher intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was linked to decreased FOXP3 methylation (r = -0.34; p = 0.008), and probiotics to IL-10 demethylation (r = -0.27; p = 0.03). By 12 months, 21.5% of children showed signs of allergic susceptibility, but those born to women with high omega-3 intake (> 13.5 g/day, OR = 0.42; p = 0.005) and probiotics (OR = 0.55; p = 0.027) had lower rates.
Conclusion:
The influence of maternal nutrition during pregnancy on the immune health of the child, in particular on the development of allergic predisposition, has been determined through the mechanisms of gene methylation and changes in the immune profile of newborns.
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