Affect of maternal IgA on the developing small intestinal epithelium

Breast milk is associated with multiple benefits for the infant, including reduced incidence of chronic diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease. We investigated the role of milk-derived maternal IgA (matIgA) on the developing small intestinal immune system. Using a model, where genotypically identical pups were fed by dams differed only in IgA production we revealed that matIgA regulates the assembly of the infant small intestinal microbiota and epithelium, supporting Lactobacillaceae and suppressing Enterobacteriaceae and the development of secretory lineage cells. Via the microbiota, MatIgA also regulated infant immune cells and suppressed early activation of Th17 cells. We demonstrated that Enterobacteriaceae-specific CD4+ T cells, activated in the absence of matIgA, persisted long term where they may contribute to subsequent inflammatory episodes. This work suggests that maternal IgA shapes the mucosal immune response by regulating the early-life microbiota thus preventing the development of inflammatory microbiota-specific T cells with memory potential. Overall design: small intestinal EpCAM + cells were sorted at 14, 24, and 42 day of life from IgA -/+ mice fed by either a C57BL/6 or Igha-/- dam.