Abstract
The nature of neonatal immunity has defied simple definition, as evidenced by the ongoing evolution of our understanding of responses in early life. In the 1980s, neonates were considered to be immunodeficient, incapable of mounting significant responses of any type. Subsequently, in the 1990s and early 2000s, robust Th2 responses were identified in newborns, and the thinking shifted such that neonates were considered to be immunodeviant. Now, well into the twenty-first century, it is abundantly apparent that neonates are actually competent to mount a wide range of responses, from severely compromised to deviated to mature or supramature. While our understanding of how this arises is still underdeveloped, recent evidence indicates that a wealth of factors likely influence this variability in the responsiveness of neonates. These include cell types and immunomodulators that either exist exclusively in or are differently represented in early life. Many of these factors are negative regulators of immunity and may dominate in those instances of deficient or deviated responses. However, some of these factors can be thought of as positive regulators of immunity and may play important roles in generating protective responses in newborns. Thus, the outcome of challenge to the immune system in early life may be a reflection of the balance between these positive and negative influences.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Physiology and Immune System Dysfunction |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 102-108 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Volume | 5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780080921525 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 27 2016 |
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Keywords
- Developmental epigenetics
- Fetal
- Immunodeficient
- Immunosuppression
- Maternal effects
- Microbiome
- Neonatal
- Plasma immune modulators
- Positive immunodulators
- Recent thymic emigrants (RTE)
- Treg
- Variable immunity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Neonatal Immunity. / Adkins, Rebecca D.
Physiology and Immune System Dysfunction. Vol. 5 Elsevier Inc., 2016. p. 102-108.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - Neonatal Immunity
AU - Adkins, Rebecca D
PY - 2016/4/27
Y1 - 2016/4/27
N2 - The nature of neonatal immunity has defied simple definition, as evidenced by the ongoing evolution of our understanding of responses in early life. In the 1980s, neonates were considered to be immunodeficient, incapable of mounting significant responses of any type. Subsequently, in the 1990s and early 2000s, robust Th2 responses were identified in newborns, and the thinking shifted such that neonates were considered to be immunodeviant. Now, well into the twenty-first century, it is abundantly apparent that neonates are actually competent to mount a wide range of responses, from severely compromised to deviated to mature or supramature. While our understanding of how this arises is still underdeveloped, recent evidence indicates that a wealth of factors likely influence this variability in the responsiveness of neonates. These include cell types and immunomodulators that either exist exclusively in or are differently represented in early life. Many of these factors are negative regulators of immunity and may dominate in those instances of deficient or deviated responses. However, some of these factors can be thought of as positive regulators of immunity and may play important roles in generating protective responses in newborns. Thus, the outcome of challenge to the immune system in early life may be a reflection of the balance between these positive and negative influences.
AB - The nature of neonatal immunity has defied simple definition, as evidenced by the ongoing evolution of our understanding of responses in early life. In the 1980s, neonates were considered to be immunodeficient, incapable of mounting significant responses of any type. Subsequently, in the 1990s and early 2000s, robust Th2 responses were identified in newborns, and the thinking shifted such that neonates were considered to be immunodeviant. Now, well into the twenty-first century, it is abundantly apparent that neonates are actually competent to mount a wide range of responses, from severely compromised to deviated to mature or supramature. While our understanding of how this arises is still underdeveloped, recent evidence indicates that a wealth of factors likely influence this variability in the responsiveness of neonates. These include cell types and immunomodulators that either exist exclusively in or are differently represented in early life. Many of these factors are negative regulators of immunity and may dominate in those instances of deficient or deviated responses. However, some of these factors can be thought of as positive regulators of immunity and may play important roles in generating protective responses in newborns. Thus, the outcome of challenge to the immune system in early life may be a reflection of the balance between these positive and negative influences.
KW - Developmental epigenetics
KW - Fetal
KW - Immunodeficient
KW - Immunosuppression
KW - Maternal effects
KW - Microbiome
KW - Neonatal
KW - Plasma immune modulators
KW - Positive immunodulators
KW - Recent thymic emigrants (RTE)
KW - Treg
KW - Variable immunity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85043282272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85043282272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/B978-0-12-374279-7.19011-3
DO - 10.1016/B978-0-12-374279-7.19011-3
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9780080921525
VL - 5
SP - 102
EP - 108
BT - Physiology and Immune System Dysfunction
PB - Elsevier Inc.
ER -