International archives of allergy and immunology
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Aug 1994
Comparative StudyCord blood mononuclear cell responsiveness to beta-lactoglobulin: T-cell activity in 'atopy-prone' and 'non-atopy-prone' newborns.
We have studied the T-cell-mediated response to the major allergen of cow's milk, in a group of newborns at risk of developing cow's milk allergy, and in a control group. Before any atopic status has developed, we observe beta-lactoglobulin-specific primary proliferation only in the group at risk for food-related allergies. ⋯ In the responder population, the response to p145-161 appears linked to a primary response to ovalbumin, another frequent food allergen. On the basis of our findings, we propose a model in which development of allergic diseases is linked to an alteration of T-cell activation through the engagement by the antigen; the HLA phenotype determines the allergen(s) involved, and other genetic or environmental factors dictate the clinical characteristics of the disease.