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Preconceptional through post‐partum vitamin A (VA) supplementation increases natural antibody concentrations of offspring aged 9–13 years in rural Nepal
Author(s) -
Palmer Amanda C.,
Schulze Kerry J.,
West Keith P.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.333.7
Subject(s) - offspring , medicine , placebo , pregnancy , confidence interval , antibody , fetus , vitamin , immunology , physiology , biology , genetics , alternative medicine , pathology
B1a lymphocytes arise from an early wave of progenitors unique to fetal life. B1a cells constitutively produce natural antibodies (NAb), which protect against bacterial pathogens and regulate oxidative stress. VA regulates early lymphopoiesis; deficiency in fetal mice compromises B1 populations. We investigated the impact of weekly maternal VA or β‐carotene supplementation (7,000 μg retinol equivalents) on plasma NAb concentrations of offspring. Subjects (n=290) were born to participants of a randomized, placebo‐controlled trial in Sarlahi, Nepal (1994–97) and assessed at ages 9–13 years (2006–08). We used a commercial immunoassay to measure anti‐double stranded DNA immunoglobulin M (ALPCO Diagnostics, Salem, NH; Catalog # 35‐DSSHU‐E01). Unadjusted geometric mean (95% confidence interval) concentrations were 20.08 U/mL (17.82, 22.64) in the VA group, compared to 17.64 U/mL (15.70, 19.81) and 15.96 U/mL (13.43, 18.96) in β‐carotene & placebo groups (p=0.07), respectively. After adjustment, VA increased NAb by 0.39 standard deviations (p<0.05). This effect was mediated by infant serum retinol. Although girls had 1.4‐fold higher NAb levels (p<0.001), sex did not modify the VA effect. Fetal VA receipt via routine maternal supplementation enhances the B1a lineage, which may alter infant and longer‐term chronic disease risk. Grant Funding Source : Procter and Gamble, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and USAID