Breast milk immune complexes are potent inducers of oral tolerance in neonates and prevent asthma development

In this study the researchers find that breastfeeding by antigen-sensitised mothers exposed to antigen aerosols during lactation induced a robust and long-lasting antigen-specific protection from asthma. Protection was more profound and persistent than the one induced by antigen-exposed non-sensitised mothers. The study provides new insights on the mechanisms of tolerance induction in neonates and highlights that IgG immune complexes found in breast milk are potent inducers of oral tolerance. These observations may pave the way for the identification of key factors for primary prevention of immune-mediated diseases such as asthma. Mucosal Immunol. 2010 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]