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Normal levels of IgG subclass in childhood determined by a sensitive ELISA
H Hayashibara1, K Tanimoto, I Nagata
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
Insights
This study establishes normal ranges for immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses in children up to 14 years old. It details age-specific trends, particularly for IgG4, crucial for understanding immune development.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses are critical for adaptive immunity.
- Establishing age-specific normal ranges is essential for diagnosing immunodeficiencies in children.
- Previous studies have reported trends for IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3, but detailed IgG4 data in early childhood is less defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the normal values and age-specific reference ranges for all four IgG subclasses in children from birth to 14 years.
- To characterize the developmental trends of IgG subclasses, with a specific focus on IgG4 levels during infancy and childhood.
- To establish a reliable method for determining the lower limit of serum IgG4 levels.
Main Methods:
- A sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed.
- Blood samples were collected from 29 full-term newborns (umbilical cord) and 308 healthy infants and children (venous blood).
- Statistical analysis was performed to define upper and lower limits of normal values across different age groups.
Main Results:
- Normal reference ranges for all IgG subclasses (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) were established for children aged 0-14 years.
- Trends for IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 generally aligned with previous research.
- A distinct pattern for IgG4 was observed: levels decreased from birth to 7-12 months, then gradually increased, plateauing by 12-14 years.
Conclusions:
- The study provides comprehensive, age-specific reference ranges for IgG subclasses in pediatric populations.
- The findings confirm typical developmental trajectories for IgG1-IgG3 and elucidate the specific pattern of IgG4 maturation.
- A validated method for determining the lower limit of serum IgG4 is presented, aiding clinical assessment.
Abstract:
Normal values of all IgG subclasses were determined using a sensitive ELISA in children aged from newborn to 14 years. The upper and lower limits of normal values of all IgG subclasses were obtained in all the age groups using 29 umbilical cord blood samples from full-term newborns and 308 venous blood samples from normal infants and children. The trends in the levels of IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 with age were almost similar to previous reports. IgG4 levels decreased gradually until reaching the lowest level at 7 to 12 months and increased gradually with age, reaching a plateau at 12 to 14 years of age. Thus, the lower limit of serum IgG4 levels was determined using our method.