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Serum levels of IgG subclasses in relation to IgE and atopic disease in early infancy
Author(s) -
LILJA G.,
MAGNUSSON C. G. M.,
ÖMAN H.,
JOHANSSON S. G. O.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1990.tb02802.x
Subject(s) - atopy , immunoglobulin e , medicine , immunology , pregnancy , allergy , antibody , biology , genetics
Summary The levels of IgG 1 , IgG 2 , IgG 3 and IgG 4 were analysed by FLISA in cord serum and in serum samples collected at 6 and 18 months of age from infants whose mothers were atopic. None of the four IgG subclasses was significantly influenced on any sampling occasion by infant atopy, gender, month of birth, maternal IgE or maternal diet during pregnancy and early lactation. However, at 18 months of age, significantly higher levels of IgG 1 ( P < 0·05) and of IgG 4 ( P < 0·01) were found in infants with an elevated IgE ( 8·0 kU/1) than in those with a lower level. A weak positive correlation (r s = 0·26; P = 0·05) between IgE and IgG 4 was also observed. Despite the fact that the serum levels of IgG 4 at 18 months were significantly higher ( P < 0·01) among infants with positive IgE‐RAST ( 0·15 PRU/ml) to ovomucoid or β‐lactoglobulin, our data suggest that the the concentration of IgG 4 relates more to the level of IgE than to the clinical symptoms of atopy. Determination of IgG subclasses seems to be of limited value for predicting atopy during early infancy.