Pre-conception maternal helminth infection transfers via nursing long-lasting cellular immunity against helminths to offspring

Darby, Matthew G., Chetty, Alisha, Mrjden, Dunja, Rolot, Marion, Smith, Katherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8150-5702, Mackowiak, Claire, Sedda, Delphine, Nyangahu, Donald, Jaspan, Heather, Toellner, Kai-Michael, Waisman, Ari, Quesniaux, Valerie, Ryffel, Bernhard, Cunningham, Adam F., Dewals, Benjamin G., Brombacher, Frank and Horsnell, William G. C. 2019. Pre-conception maternal helminth infection transfers via nursing long-lasting cellular immunity against helminths to offspring. Science Advances 5 (5) , eaav3058. 10.1126/sciadv.aav3058

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Abstract

Maternal immune transfer is the most significant source of protection from early-life infection, but whether maternal transfer of immunity by nursing permanently alters offspring immunity is poorly understood. Here, we identify maternal immune imprinting of offspring nursed by mothers who had a pre-conception helminth infection. Nursing of pups by helminth-exposed mothers transferred protective cellular immunity to these offspring against helminth infection. Enhanced control of infection was not dependent on maternal antibody. Protection associated with systemic development of protective type 2 immunity in T helper 2 (TH2) impaired IL-4Rα−/− offspring. This maternally acquired immunity was maintained into maturity and required transfer (via nursing) to the offspring of maternally derived TH2-competent CD4 T cells. Our data therefore reveal that maternal exposure to a globally prevalent source of infection before pregnancy provides long-term nursing-acquired immune benefits to offspring mediated by maternally derived pathogen-experienced lymphocytes.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine
Publisher:	American Association for the Advancement of Science
ISSN:	2375-2548
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	26 June 2019
Date of Acceptance:	24 April 2019
Last Modified:	07 May 2023 17:18
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/123740

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