How a mother's breast milk may help prevent food allergies in babies
Maternal influence on offspring food allergy
This project tests whether antibodies and microbes in mother's breast milk help babies develop tolerance to foods like egg or peanut.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159393 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a parent's view, researchers are studying how immune factors in breast milk teach a baby’s immune system not to overreact to foods. They use mouse experiments and human milk samples to see how maternal antibody–allergen complexes and milk microbes transferred during nursing promote regulatory immune cells in offspring. The team compares milk from non-atopic and atopic mothers, gives milk or antibody complexes to neonatal mice (including mice with a humanized milk receptor), and then checks for allergic reactions after skin exposure and oral feeding. They will also study a specific early-life window during lactation when these milk factors and microbes are most likely to shape tolerance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be breastfeeding mothers (and their newborns/infants) who are willing to provide milk samples, especially those with a family history of food allergy or concern about infant allergy risk.
Not a fit: People with established food allergy who are not breastfeeding or who cannot provide milk samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to mother-focused or milk-based ways to prevent food allergies in infants.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mouse experiments and tests using human milk in humanized mice support this mechanism, but direct clinical trials in human infants are still lacking.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oyoshi, Michiko — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Oyoshi, Michiko
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.