Peer-reviewedCC BYCurrent allergy and asthma reports
Breast Milk and Allergic Disease Development: Immunological Factors Associated with Eczema, Food Allergy and Wheezing/Asthma.
20 affiliations
- 1Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Teramo, Italy.
- 2Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
- 3University of Milano, Milan, Italy.
- 4Allergy Unit, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, Florence, Italy.
- 5Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80138, Italy.
- 6CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Research Center, NutriTechLab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80138, Italy.
- 7CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Research Center, ImmunoNutritionLab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80138, Italy.
- 8Task Force for Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80138, Italy.
- 9ImmunoNutritionLab and NutriTechLab at the CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Research Center, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
- 10Allergy Unit, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, Florence, Italy. [email protected].
- 11Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. [email protected].
- 12Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. [email protected].
- 13Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Children's Hospital "G. Di Cristina", ARNAS Civico-Di Cristina-Benfratelli, Palermo, Italy. [email protected].
- 14Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Rende-Pediatric Unit, Società Italiana di Medicina di Emergenza e Urgenza Pediatrica (SIMEUP), University of Calabria, Annunziata Hospital, Cosenza, 87100, Italy.
- 15Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, MEDCIDS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- 16Centre for Health Technology and Services Research, Health Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, CINTESIS@RISE, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- 17Pediatric Rheumatology Unit, Department of Childhood and Adolescent Medicine, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.
- 18Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
- 19Care for Long Term Conditions Division, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King's College London, London, UK.
- 20Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Child's Health, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia.
Abstract
Purpose of review
Human milk (HM) contains a diverse array of immunological, microbial, and metabolic bioactive factors that may influence early immune maturation and allergic disease susceptibility. This narrative review examines current evidence linking major HM bioactives with eczema, food allergy, and wheezing/asthma, integrating mechanistic findings with human observational and clinical data.Recent findings
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), secretory IgA (sIgA), human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), cytokines, fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids, the HM microbiome, and extracellular vesicles have all been implicated in pathways relevant to epithelial integrity, microbial colonization, and immune tolerance. However, associations with allergic outcomes are heterogeneous and frequently context dependent. Findings vary according to lactation stage, maternal characteristics, infant susceptibility, microbial exposures, and outcome definition. Mechanistic evidence is often stronger than prospective clinical evidence, and no individual HM component or bioactive profile has yet emerged as a reproducible predictor of allergy protection. Current evidence supports viewing HM as a dynamic maternal-milk-infant biological network rather than as a source of isolated protective factors. Future studies should integrate repeated HM sampling, rigorous allergic phenotyping, and multi-omic approaches to distinguish causal mediators from biomarkers of maternal or infant biology.
Related
- Development of a clinical prediction score for recurrent wheezing following acute lower respiratory tract infection in children
- Development of a nomogram for risk factors of wheezing in infants with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.
- Risk factor analysis and development of a risk prediction model for facial pressure injury associated with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on symptom science theory
- Immunological Challenges and Emerging Strategies in Dengue Virus Vaccine Development.
- Gut epithelial aryl hydrocarbon receptor deficiency aggravates fungal dysbiosis-mediated neutrophilic allergic airway disease in mice
BibTeX
@article{catalogna2026breast,
title = {{Breast Milk and Allergic Disease Development: Immunological Factors Associated with Eczema, Food Allergy and Wheezing/Asthma.}},
author = {Alessandra Catalogna and Carlo Agostoni and Simona Barni and Roberto Berni Canani and Laura Carucci and Letizia Ciliberti and Serena Coppola and Antonio Corsello and Gregorio Paolo Milani and Francesca Mori and Rita Nocerino and Bernardo Sousa Pinto and Giulia Carla Immacolata Spolidoro and Mattia Giovannini and Daniel Munblit},
journal = {Current allergy and asthma reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s11882-026-01299-w},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955504},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Breast Milk and Allergic Disease Development: Immunological Factors Associated with Eczema, Food Allergy and Wheezing/Asthma.
AU - Alessandra Catalogna
AU - Carlo Agostoni
AU - Simona Barni
AU - Roberto Berni Canani
AU - Laura Carucci
AU - Letizia Ciliberti
AU - Serena Coppola
AU - Antonio Corsello
AU - Gregorio Paolo Milani
AU - Francesca Mori
AU - Rita Nocerino
AU - Bernardo Sousa Pinto
AU - Giulia Carla Immacolata Spolidoro
AU - Mattia Giovannini
AU - Daniel Munblit
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Current allergy and asthma reports
DO - 10.1007/s11882-026-01299-w
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955504
AB - Purpose of review Human milk (HM) contains a diverse array of immunological, microbial, and metabolic bioactive factors that may influence early immune maturation and allergic disease susceptibility. This narrative review examines current evidence linking major HM bioactives with eczema, food allergy, and wheezing/asthma, integrating mechanistic findings with human observational and clinical data.Recent findings Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), secretory IgA (sIgA), human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), cytokines, fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids, the HM microbiome, and extracellular vesicles have all been implicated in pathways relevant to epithelial integrity, microbial colonization, and immune tolerance. However, associations with allergic outcomes are heterogeneous and frequently context dependent. Findings vary according to lactation stage, maternal characteristics, infant susceptibility, microbial exposures, and outcome definition. Mechanistic evidence is often stronger than prospective clinical evidence, and no individual HM component or bioactive profile has yet emerged as a reproducible predictor of allergy protection. Current evidence supports viewing HM as a dynamic maternal-milk-infant biological network rather than as a source of isolated protective factors. Future studies should integrate repeated HM sampling, rigorous allergic phenotyping, and multi-omic approaches to distinguish causal mediators from biomarkers of maternal or infant biology.
SN - 1529-7322
SN - 1534-6315
ER -