Is neonatal interleukin-12 capacity associated with variations in allergen-specific immune responses in the neonatal and postnatal periods?
Reduced APC IL-12 production in the perinatal period was associated with reduced T cell activation (lymphoproliferation), stronger neonatal Th2 responses, and weaker Th1 responses to allergen in the postnatal period. This supports the notion that variations in APC function in early life may contribute to altered allergen-specific cytokine responses associated with later allergy.
These results suggest that obesity reduces circadian gene expression in concert with impaired endothelial function. The causal relationship remains to be determined.