Preconception allergen sensitization can induce B10 cells in offspring: a potential main role for maternal IgG

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms through which allergies can be inhibited after preconception immunization with allergens are not fully understood. We aimed to evaluate whether maternal immunization can induce a regulatory B (B10) cell population in offspring in concert with allergy inhibition. METHODS: C57BL/6 females were or were not immunized with OVA and were mated with normal WT males. Their offspring were evaluated at 3 days of age or 20 days after neonatal immunization. Human peripheral B cells from atopic and non-atopic individuals were also evaluated. RESULTS: Preconception OVA immunization induced B10 cells in offspring, and IL-10 production appeared to be critical for FcγRIIB upregulation in offspring B cells. Murine and human IL-10-producing B cells responded in vitro to IgG according to the atopic repertoire of the cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal that maternal immunization induces allergen-specific B10 cells in offspring and a pivotal role for the IgG repertoire in IL-10 production by murine and human B cells. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13223-017-0195-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.