Gene/Protein
Disease
Symptom
Drug
Enzyme
Compound
Pivot Concepts:
Gene/Protein
Disease
Symptom
Drug
Enzyme
Compound
Target Concepts:
Gene/Protein
Disease
Symptom
Drug
Enzyme
Compound
Query: UMLS:C0029713 (
immaturity
)
4,335
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Adverse clinical reactions to food associated with disturbed immunologic function (
food allergy
) affect 1-3% of the population and vary from life-threatening to a minor inconvenience. They must be differentiated from reactions caused by toxins, pharmacologic agents, enzyme deficiences and non-specific release of inflammatory mediator substances. Enteric absorption of food protein antigens which may occur despite an array of gastrointestinal protective mechanisms normally induces both a protective immune response and immunologic tolerance. Quantitative changes in absorption related to deficient protective mechanisms or excessive antigen load may contribute to the development of an allergic immune response and explain the greater incidence of
food allergy
in infants and children. Important factors include immunologic
immaturity
, enhanced macromolecular mucosal transport, intrauterine and neonatal malnutrition, breast feeding and infection. Double-blind food challenge tests remain as the most definitive diagnostic yardstick but carefully standardized skin tests may be helpful if interpreted in the context of the clinical history. Despite the association of
food allergy
with food antigen specific IgE hypersensitivity, immune complex formation and lymphocyte sensitization the pathophysiological changes which result in symptoms remain obscure. Recent advances have clarified many aspects of our knowledge of
food allergy
but inevitably have raised many more questions for future study.
...
PMID:Food allergy. 638 38
In order to prevent the penetration of intraluminal material such as micro-organisms, food antigens, toxins etc. across the intestinal mucosa, a complex defence mechanism has been developed. This mechanism consists of non-immunological defence with enzymatic detoxification as well as an immunological one. The nature of the immunological defence has been thoroughly elucidated during the past 10-15 years. This mechanism is in man based on a special local immunological resistance, where production of secretory IgA plays the main role. Immunoglobulin producing plasma cells appear relatively late after birth in the lamina propria of the gut mucosa. Therefore a physiological
immaturity
of the immunological defence during first weeks of life can be anticipated. The role of the immunological defence system in the control of dietary antigen penetration across gut epithelium has been much discussed. Circulating antibodies to cow's milk proteins in small infants after milk ingestion and the almost constant finding of such antibodies in high titre in patients with selective IgA deficiency even without intestinal disease indicate a highly significant function of this local immunity in antigen handling. It has been suggested that the apparently high incidence of
food allergy
in infancy is due to
immaturity
of this system. Cow's milk protein induced enteropathy is also strictly bound to this age group.
...
PMID:The immune response of the intestinal mucosa to foreign proteins. 696 45
