Open AccessMaternal Microchimerism in Cord Blood and Risk of Celiac Disease in Childhood
Author(s) -
Tapia German,
Mortimer Georgina,
Ye Jody,
Mårild Karl,
ChipperKeating Saranna,
Gillard Benjamin T.,
Viken Marte K.,
Lie Benedicte A.,
Stene Lars C.,
Gillespie Kathleen M.,
Størdal Ketil
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.206
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1536-4801
pISSN - 0277-2116
DOI - 10.1097/mpg.0000000000002811
Subject(s) - medicine , microchimerism , human leukocyte antigen , odds ratio , immunology , cord blood , pregnancy , case control study , cohort , fetus , antigen , genetics , biology
Objectives: During pregnancy, small quantities of maternal cells are naturally transmitted to the fetus. This transmission, termed maternal microchimerism (MMc), has been implicated in autoimmune diseases but its potential role is unclear. We aimed to investigate if MMc at birth predicted childhood celiac disease (CD) risk, a common immune‐mediated enteropathy often presenting in childhood. Methods: We designed a case‐control study, nested in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort. Participants were HLA class II typed to determine noninherited, nonshared maternal alleles (NIMA). Droplet digital (dd) PCR assays specific for common HLA class II NIMAs (HLA‐DQB1 * 03:01, * 04:02 and * 06:02/03 ) were used to estimate the quantity of maternal DNA, as a marker of maternal cells, in cord blood DNA from 124 children who later developed clinically diagnosed CD (median age at end of study 7.4 years, range 3.6–12.9) and 124 random controls. We tested whether presence of MMc was associated with CD using logistic regression, and compared ranks between cases and controls. Results: MMc, for example, maternal HLA antigens not inherited by the child, was found in 42% of cases and 43% of controls, and not associated with CD (odds ratio [OR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58–1.60). The ranks of MMc quantities in cases and controls were also similar (Mann‐Whitney U ‐test, P = 0.71). The subgroup with HLA‐DQB1:03*01 as their NIMA had a potential association with MMc, where levels greater than median was associated with CD (OR 3.78, 95% CI 1.28–11.18). Conclusion: MMc measured in cord blood was not associated with later risk of CD.