The impact of maternal infection or immunization on
early-onset autoimmune diabetes.
Goldman M, Marchant A.
Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 808 Route
de Lennik, B-1070, Brussels, Belgium. mgoldman@ulb.ac.be
Maternal immune responses exert short and long-term influences on the newborn
immune system. The transfer of maternal antibodies helps the newborn controlling
infectious agents that are prevalent in the population. Furthermore, recent
studies indicate that the fetus is able to mount inflammatory and cytotoxic T
lymphocyte responses in the course of maternal infections. Herein, we discuss
the relevance of these observations to the possible relation between maternal
infection or immunization and childhood-onset autoimmune diabetes.
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