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Infection with Helicobacter pylori is associated with development of ulcer disease and gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma. The infection leads to a large infiltration of immune cells and the formation of organized lymphoid follicles in the human gastric mucosa. Still, the immune system fails to eradicate the bacteria, and the substantial regulatory T cell (Treg) response elicited is probably a major factor permitting bacterial persistence. Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that can activate naive T cells, and maturation of DCs is crucial for the initiation of primary immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and localization of mature human DCs in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa. Gastric antral biopsy specimens were collected from patients with H. pylori-associated gastritis and healthy volunteers, and antrum tissue was collected from patients undergoing gastric resection. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry showed that DCs expressing the maturation marker dendritic cell lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein (DC-LAMP; CD208) are enriched in the H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa and that these DCs are specifically localized within or close to lymphoid follicles. Gastric DC-LAMP-positive (DC-LAMP(+)) DCs express CD11c and high levels of HLA-DR but little CD80, CD83, and CD86. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated that DC-LAMP(+) DCs are in the same location as FoxP3-positive putative Tregs in the follicles. In conclusion, we show that DC-LAMP(+) DCs with low costimulatory capacity accumulate in the lymphoid follicles in human H. pylori-infected gastric tissue, and our results suggest that Treg-DC interactions may promote chronic infection by rendering gastric DCs tolerogenic.

Background: We have previously demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with an increased number of CD4(+)CD25(high) regulatory T cells in the gastric and duodenal mucosa. In this study, we determined the number and localization of CD4(+) cells expressing the regulatory T-cell-specific transcription factor FOXP3 in the antrum and duodenum of duodenal ulcer patients, asymptomatic carriers, and uninfected individuals. We also determined gene expression levels of FOXP3 as well as anti- and proinflammatory cytokines before and after H. pylori eradication., Methods: Cellular FOXP3 expression was studied by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, and transcription levels of FOXP3, interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-beta, CD4, and interferon-gamma were analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction., Results: We found an increased (6-fold) frequency of CD4(+)FOXP3(+) T cells in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa; interestingly 26% of these cells did not co-express CD25. The increase of FOXP3-expressing T cells in the antrum of infected individuals was dependent on the presence of H. pylori, since eradication therapy resulted in 4-fold lower levels of FOXP3 and IL-10 mRNA in the antrum. Furthermore, higher numbers of CD4(+)FOXP3(+) T cells were found in areas of duodenal gastric metaplasia in the duodenum of duodenal ulcer patients compared to duodenal gastric metaplasia of asymptomatic individuals and healthy mucosa in both patient groups. In duodenal ulcer patients, the CD4(+)FOXP3(+) T cells were more highly associated to aggregates in the duodenal mucosa., Conclusion: The numbers of CD4(+)FOXP3(+) T cells are increased and localized in CD4(+) T-cell aggregates in areas of duodenal gastric metaplasia in duodenal ulcer patients.

Helicobacter pylori causes a life-long infection that may lead to development of gastric adenocarcinoma (GC) and thereby cause major worldwide health problems. The present study was designed to study whether those that develop GC have an altered immune response to H. pylori compared to individuals that remain asymptomatic. When stimulated with H. pylori antigens, T cells from both peripheral blood and gastric mucosa of H. pylori-infected GC patients produced high amounts of IL-10, while the IL-10 production from blood T cells of H. pylori-infected asymptomatic subjects was low. Furthermore, mRNA levels of IL-10 were increased in the gastric mucosa of GC patients. In addition, the frequency of activated CD8(+) T cells was markedly reduced in stomach mucosa of patients with GC compared to asymptomatic individuals. We propose that the increased production of the suppressive cytokine IL-10 in H. pylori-infected GC patients leads to a diminished cytotoxic anti-tumour T-cell response in the stomach, which may contribute to tumour progression in subjects suffering from GC.

Cell-mediated immunity is thought to be the main mechanism of anti-tumour responses of the host, but it is not known if cancer disease affects T cell recruitment from blood to tissues. Therefore, we compared Heliobacter pylori-induced T cell transendothelial migration (TEM) in H. pylori-infected gastric carcinoma patients, colon and lung carcinoma patients and healthy volunteers. H. pylori induced significant T cell migration from all groups. However, there was a dramatic reduction of T cell TEM in gastric carcinoma patients (80%) compared to healthy individuals. A similarly reduced transmigration was also seen in colon and lung carcinoma patients. We found significantly increased frequencies of T(reg) cells in the blood of gastric carcinoma patients compared to healthy individuals, and depletion of T(reg) cells from the blood of these patients prior to TEM restored T cell migration. The effect of T(reg) cells was largely dependent on cell-cell contact, but not on IL-10 or TGF-beta. In addition, the presence of T(reg) cells led to reduced T cell attachment to endothelium and decreased production of T cell-recruiting chemokines during TEM. In conclusion, T(reg) cell-mediated reduction of T cell TEM may reduce T cell recruitment in patients with epithelial malignancies, thereby hampering anti-tumour responses.

CD4(+)CD25(high) FOXP3-expressing regulatory T cells (Treg) can suppress immune responses to infections and tumors, thereby promoting microbial persistence and tumor progression. However, little is known about the phenotype and function of human mucosal Treg. Therefore, we analyzed the suppressive activity and homing phenotype of Treg in gastric mucosa of Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric adenocarcinoma patients. We found increased numbers of CD4(+)FOXP3(+) Treg in the tumor compared to tumor-free gastric mucosa. Gastric Treg cells were able to suppress H. pylori-induced T cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production. Furthermore, gastric Treg expressed increased levels of l-selectin and CCR4, compared to non-Treg cells, suggesting that these receptors contribute to Treg recruitment. The presence of functional antigen-specific Treg in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa supports an important role for these cells in suppression of mucosal effector T cell responses, which probably contribute to bacterial persistence and possibly also to gastric tumor progression.

Antibody microarray based technology is a powerful emerging tool in proteomics, target discovery, and differential analysis. Here, we report the first study where recombinant antibody fragments have been used to construct large scale antibody microarrays, composed of 127 different antibodies against mostly immunoregulatory antigens. The arrays were based on single framework recombinant antibody fragments (SinFabs) designed for high on-chip stability and functionality and were used for the analysis of malignant and normal stomach tissue samples from Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients. Our results demonstrate that distinct tumor- as well as infection-associated protein expression signatures could be identified from these complex tissue proteomes, as well as biomarkers such as IL-9, IL-11, and MCP-4, previously not found in these diseases. In a longer perspective, this study may improve the understanding of H. pylori-induced stomach cancer and lead to development of improved diagnostics.

Conclusions: T cells in adenoid surface secretion (AdSS) possess the property of cytokine production and are mainly downregulatory or of Th1 type. These results strengthen the hypothesis of an active immunological defense in AdSS., Objectives: Recently, we demonstrated the presence of activated T cells in AdSS. The aims of this study were to elucidate the ability of these T cells to produce cytokines and to reveal their cytokine profile., Material and Methods: Eight children subjected to adenoidectomy were enrolled. Samples of AdSS, adenoid tissue and peripheral blood were obtained, as well as a nasopharyngeal culture. T cells obtained from AdSS, adenoid tissue and peripheral blood were then cultured and stimulated with anti-CD3 and -CD28 for 5 days. The production of interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a and IL-2, -4, -5 and -10 was then analyzed using flow cytometry., Results: All children had T cells in AdSS capable of cytokine production. T cells in AdSS, adenoid tissue and peripheral blood samples from all children produced IFN-gamma. Of the cytokines analyzed, IFN-gamma was produced in the highest concentrations. In 6/8 children, T cells in AdSS also produced TNF-a and IL-10.

Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic gastritis that may progress to peptic ulcers or gastric adenocarcinoma and thereby cause major world-wide health problems. Previous studies have shown that CD4+ T cells are important in the immune response to H. pylori in humans, but the role of CD8+ T cells is less clear. In order to study the CD8+ T cell response to H. pylori in greater detail, we have evaluated efficient conditions for activation of CD8+ T cells in vitro. We show that H. pylori-reactive CD8+ T cells can be activated most efficiently by B cells or dendritic cells pulsed with H. pylori antigens. We further show that the majority of CD8+ T cells in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa are memory cells, and that memory CD8+ T cells sorted from peripheral blood of H. pylori-infected individuals respond 15-fold more to H. pylori urease compared to memory cells from uninfected subjects. We conclude that CD8+ T cells do participate in the immune response to H. pylori, and this may have implications for the development of more severe disease outcomes in H. pylori-infected subjects.

Helicobacter pylori infects the stomach and duodenal mucosa. T cells are important components of the H. pylori-induced immune response, but little is currently known about how these cells are recruited to the infected mucosa. Here, we have characterized stomach and duodenal T cells isolated from H. pylori-infected and noninfected subjects with regard to subtype, expression of homing and chemokine receptors, and in vitro reactivity to H. pylori antigens. Higher numbers of CD4(+) but similar numbers of CD8(+) lamina propria T cells were isolated from stomach biopsies from H. pylori-positive compared to H. pylori-negative individuals. CD4(+) T cells from infected stomach expressed increased levels of the homing receptor L-selectin and the chemokine receptor CCR4 compared to CD4(+) T cells from uninfected stomach. Infected stomach mucosa also contained increased levels of the CCR4 chemokine ligand MDC/CCL22. In contrast, comparable numbers of CD4(+) T cells with similar receptor expression were isolated from the duodenum of H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative individuals. In vitro proliferation of mucosal T cells was strongly enhanced by the addition of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-7 to the cell cultures. Using this approach, H. pylori-specific T-cell responses were detected in stomach CD4(+) T cells from H. pylori-positive but not H. pylori-negative individuals. Duodenal T cells from only a few individuals responded to H. pylori stimulation, and the responsiveness was not restricted to H. pylori-positive individuals, suggesting limited H. pylori specificity in the duodenum and possible cross-reactivity with antigens from other bacteria in this compartment. In conclusion, these results suggest that H. pylori-specific CD4(+) T cells preferentially home to and accumulate in the infected stomach and that L-selectin and CCR4/MDC are important for this recruitment.

Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common gastrointestinal infections worldwide. Although the majority of the infected individuals remain asymptomatic carriers of the bacteria, approximately 15% develop peptic ulcers, which are most prevalent in the duodenum. H. pylori induce a vigorous immune response which, however, fails to clear the infection. Instead, the chronic inflammation that arises in the infected gastroduodenal mucosa may be involved in the development of H. pylori-associated peptic ulcers. We have previously shown that duodenal ulcer (DU) patients have a significantly lower epithelial cytokine, e.g. IL-8, response in the duodenum than asymptomatic (AS) carriers. In this study we have further investigated the mechanisms behind this finding, i.e. whether it can be explained by bacterial factors, down-regulation of epithelial cytokine production by regulatory T cells, or an impaired ability of the duodenal epithelium in DU patients to produce cytokines. Gastric AGS, and intestinal T84 epithelial cell lines were stimulated with H. pylori strains isolated from DU patients and AS carriers, respectively. All strains were found to induce comparable cytokine and cytokine receptor expression in epithelial cells. Regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25(high)), isolated from human peripheral blood and cocultured with H. pylori stimulated AGS cells, were found to slightly suppress H. pylori-induced epithelial cytokine production. Furthermore, primary cultures of duodenal epithelial cells from DU patients were found to produce markedly lower amounts of cytokines than epithelial cells isolated from AS carriers. These results suggest that the lower epithelial cytokine responses in the duodenum of DU patients, which may be of importance for the pathogenesis of H. pylori-induced duodenal ulcers, most likely can be explained by host factors, i.e. mainly a decreased ability of the duodenal epithelium to produce cytokines, but possibly partly also down-regulation by regulatory T cells.

Helicobacter pylori is known to induce a local immune response, which is characterized by activation of lymphocytes and the production of IFN-gamma in the stomach mucosa. Since not only T cells, but also natural killer (NK) cells, are potent producers of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), we investigated whether NK cells play a role in the immune response to H. pylori infection. Our results showed that NK cells were present in both the gastric and duodenal mucosae but that H. pylori infection did not affect the infiltration of NK cells into the gastrointestinal area. Furthermore, we could show that NK cells could be activated directly by H. pylori antigens, as H. pylori bacteria, as well as lysate from H. pylori, induced the secretion of IFN-gamma by NK cells. NK cells were also activated without direct contact when separated from the bacteria by an epithelial cell layer, indicating that the activation of NK cells by H. pylori can also occur in vivo, in the infected stomach mucosa. Moreover, the production of IFN-gamma by NK cells was greatly enhanced when a small amount of interleukin-12 (IL-12) was added, and this synergistic effect was associated with increased expression of the IL-12 receptor beta2. It was further evident that bacterial lysate alone was sufficient to induce the activation of cytotoxicity-related molecules. In conclusion, we demonstrated that NK cells are present in the gastroduodenal mucosa of humans and that NK cells produce high levels of IFN-gamma when stimulated with a combination of H. pylori antigen and IL-12. We propose that NK cells play an active role in the local immune response to H. pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori chronically colonizes the stomach and duodenum and causes peptic ulcers or gastric adenocarcinoma in 10 to 20% of infected individuals. We hypothesize that the inability of patients to clear H. pylori infections is a consequence of active suppression of the immune response. Here we show that H. pylori-infected individuals have increased frequencies of CD4(+) CD25(high) T cells in both the stomach and duodenal mucosa compared to uninfected controls. These cells have the phenotype of regulatory T cells, as they express FOXP3, a key gene for the development and function of regulatory T cells, as well as high levels of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) protein. In contrast, mucosal CD4(+) CD25(low) and CD4(+) CD25(-) cells express little FOXP3 mRNA and low levels of the CTLA-4 protein. Mucosal CD4(+) CD25(high) T cells are present in individuals with asymptomatic H. pylori infections as well as in duodenal ulcer patients. The frequencies of CD4(+) CD25(high) cells are also increased in the stomachs of H. pylori-infected patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, particularly in cancer-affected tissues. These findings suggest that regulatory T cells may suppress mucosal immune responses and thereby contribute to the persistence of H. pylori infections.

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the gastric and duodenal mucosa. The infection normally persists for life and causes peptic ulcers and gastric cancer in a subset of infected individuals. We hypothesized that the inability to clear the infection may be a consequence of H. pylori-specific regulatory T cells that actively suppress T-cell responses. Therefore, we characterized the T-cell responses to H. pylori in H. pylori-infected individuals without any subjective symptoms and in uninfected control subjects and investigated the role of regulatory CD4+ CD25(high) T cells during infection. The stimulation of CD4+ peripheral blood T cells with monocyte-derived dendritic cells pulsed with a membrane preparation of H. pylori resulted in proliferation and gamma interferon production in both infected and uninfected individuals. Sorted memory cells from infected individuals responded less than cells from uninfected subjects, and the unresponsiveness could be abolished by depletion of CD4+ CD25(high) regulatory T cells or the addition of interleukin 2. Furthermore, CD4+ CD25(high) T cells suppressed H. pylori-induced responses in cocultures with CD25(low/-) cells. Tetanus toxoid induced comparable responses in memory cells from infected and uninfected individuals in both the presence and the absence of regulatory T cells, suggesting that the suppression was H. pylori specific. In conclusion, we have shown that H. pylori-infected individuals have impaired memory CD4+ T-cell responses to H. pylori that are linked to the presence of H. pylori-specific regulatory T cells that actively suppress the responses.

The kinetics and homing characteristics of T-cell responses in humans after mucosal immunizations have not been well characterized. Therefore, we have investigated the magnitude and duration of such responses as well as the homing receptor expression of antigen-specific peripheral blood T cells by using an oral model vaccine, i.e., the live, attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi vaccine (Ty21a). Eight volunteers were each given three doses of the vaccine 2 days apart, and blood samples, from which CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were selected by the use of magnetic beads, were collected before vaccination and at regular intervals thereafter. To purify the potentially antigen-specific gut-homing T cells, CD45RA(-) integrin beta(7)(+) cells were further sorted by flow cytometry. The sorted cells were then stimulated in vitro with the serovar Typhi vaccine strain, and the proliferation of cells and the cytokine production were measured. Following vaccination, there was a large increase in both the proliferation of and the gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production by blood T cells stimulated with the vaccine strain. The responses were seen among both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, although the CD8(+) cells produced the largest amounts of IFN-gamma. Peak responses were seen 7 to 14 days after the onset of vaccination. Furthermore, most of the IFN-gamma produced by both CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells emanated from cells with the potential to home to mucosal tissues, as the integrin beta(7)-expressing memory T cells produced around 10-fold more IFN-gamma than the remaining populations. In conclusion, we demonstrate that oral vaccination with a live oral bacterial vaccine induces antigen-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) memory T cells, almost all of which express the gut-homing integrin beta(7).

We previously demonstrated the presence of leucocytes in the adenoid surface secretion with the ability of immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM and IgG production as well as production of cells with phagocytic capacity. In the present study, we investigated the presence of activated T cells in the secretion. Adenoid surface secretion from 12 children subjected to adenoidectomy was obtained with an imprint method. From six children, peripheral blood was also obtained. By flow cytometry, the number of lymphocytes, granulocytes, epithelial cells and red blood cells was analysed as well as the expression on lymphocyte subsets of the following antigens: CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD25, CD38, CD45RO, CD45RA, HLA-DR, TcRgd, CD161 and l-selectin. The majority of T cells were activated and to a significantly higher degree were CD45RO+, CD161+ and l-selectin-, as compared with the corresponding peripheral blood. The median percentage of B cells and T cells in the secretion were 81 and 13%, respectively. In conclusion, the proportion of B and T cells in the adenoid surface secretion is significantly different as compared with the peripheral blood. The T cells in the adenoid surface secretion are to a high degree activated. The results suggest that the leucocytes in the surface secretion are part of the mucosal defence.

Previous studies on the localization of several different Helicobacter pylori antigens have been contradictory. We have therefore examined by using both one- and two-color flow cytometry (FCM), immunofluorescence (IF), and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM), the possible surface localization of some H. pylori antigens that may be important virulence factors. All four methods detected the lipopolysaccharide and the N-acetyl-neuroaminyllactose-binding hemagglutinin protein (HpaA) as surface-exposed, while the urease enzyme was not detected at all and the neutrophil activating protein only in low concentration on the surface of the H. pylori bacteria during culture of H. pylori in liquid broth for 11 days. The FCM analysis was found to be quite sensitive and specific and also extremely fast compared with IF and IEM, and therefore the preferred method for detection of surface-localized antigens of H. pylori.

In order to characterize T cell responses in human Helicobacter pylori infection, we have examined proliferative responses and cytokine production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells isolated from duodenal ulcer patients and asymptomatic H. pylori carriers, after activation with some H. pylori antigens that may be important in disease development. For control purposes, T cells from uninfected volunteers were also examined. The different H. pylori antigens induced only modest proliferative responses in circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from both H. pylori-infected and uninfected individuals. However, circulating T cells from H. pylori-infected subjects produced larger amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to the Helicobacter antigens than did T cells from uninfected volunteers. Furthermore, CD8+ T cells produced larger amounts of IFN-gamma than did CD4+ T cells, on a per cell basis. Most IFN-gamma-producing cells from both infected and uninfected volunteers appeared to be naive T cells expressing CD45RA. Increased production of IL-4 and IL-5 was, on the other hand, only seen in a few instances after stimulation of isolated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Stimulation of freshly isolated gastric T cells with the different H. pylori antigens did not result in increased proliferation or cytokine production. In conclusion, our results show that several different purified H. pylori antigens induce production of IFN-gamma, preferentially by CD8+ cells. Therefore, they suggest that IFN-gamma-secreting CD8+ cells contribute significantly to the cytokine response induced by H. pylori infection.

Two day old Wistar rats were tube fed with 1 or 10 micrograms of a mouse IgG1 monoclonal anti-idiotypic (a-Id) antibody that was directed against an anti-Escherichia coli-K13 capsular polysaccharide antibody. A control group was given 10 micrograms of an unrelated control antibody. Six weeks after the administration of antibodies, the rats were intestinally colonised with an ovalbumin (OVA)-producing E. coli O6K13 strain. At 8 weeks of age, the male rats (first generation) and the offsprings of the female rats (second generation), were parenterally immunised with OVA and dead wild type E. coli O6K13, and the immune response was followed. In the rats of the first generation, there were no major differences between the groups in the immune response to the bacterium. However, the offspring of the neonatally a-Id administered rats had a profoundly affected immune response to the idiotypically connected antigen K13, but also to other antigens on the bacteria. Thus, a-Id treatment in the first generation gave, in the second generation, a greatly enhanced serum antibody response to the spatially related antigens OVA and O6 LPS, as well as to the idiotypically connected antigen K13. Concurrently, the in vitro spleen cell proliferative response to both OVA and the wild type bacterium was lowered. Overall, greater effects were seen with the higher dose of a-Id. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that by giving monoclonal antibodies idiotypically connected to a single bacterial component to neonatal rats, one profoundly influence the immune response also to other-spatially related-bacterial antigens in their offsprings.

Adult rats were fed pellets containing ovalbumin (OvA) during 4 weeks, and were 2 weeks thereafter immunized subcutaneously with a mixture of OvA and human serum albumin (HSA) in Freund's complete adjuvant (day 0). As a result of the immunization, the draining lymph nodes of the nontolerized (control) rats were heavily enlarged from day 10 to day 18; however, this size increase was absent in the OvA-fed rats. This manifestation of active suppression in the tolerized rats was preceded by the appearance of scattered CD4+ TGF-beta-expressing T cells in the T cell area of their lymph nodes (days 5-8); correspondingly, the levels of TGF-beta mRNA in the nodes were elevated in the tolerant rats compared with the control rats. The anti-OvA antibody levels in sera from the rats revealed that there was an initial B cell priming in the OvA-fed group, with levels higher than in the control group during the first week. Thereafter, suppression governed the response, and from day 10 onwards the anti-OvA levels were considerably lower than in the controls. When other groups of animals were pretreated with neutralizing anti-TGF-beta antibodies 1 day before the immunization, the anti-OvA response of the OvA-fed rats was restored to the levels of the control group, demonstrating the importance of TGF-beta in the maintenance of suppression. In conclusion, we demonstrate that TGF-beta-producing cells appear in the draining lymph nodes shortly after immunization in rats made orally tolerant using a relatively high-dose feeding regime; these cells are probably responsible for the down-regulation of the immune response observed in the OvA-fed rats.

Oral tolerance was induced in 4-week-old (young) and 12-week-old (adult) rats by feeding ovalbumin (OvA)-containing pellets during 4 weeks. Seven weeks after removal of the OvA-pellets the rats were immunized with a mixture of OvA and human serum albumin (HSA) in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), and the following immune response was monitored. Both the young and adult groups of OvA-fed rats had significantly suppressed OvA-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses and T-cell proliferation, reflecting a long-lasting T-cell tolerance to OvA both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, spleen cells from rats tolerized as adults were able to suppress the proliferation of primed T-cells from normal immunized rats, demonstrating the presence of antigen-specific suppressive cells. Accordingly, the adult rats showed bystander suppression of the response to HSA with respect to DTH-reaction, specific proliferation, and reduced enlargement of the draining lymph nodes after immunization. There was no evidence of active suppression in vitro or bystander tolerance in the orally tolerized young group, indicating that anergy rather than active suppression was prevalent in these rats. Furthermore, in the young group there was no suppression of the antibody response since the IgG and IgE anti-OvA antibody levels were indistinguishable from those of the controls. Contrary to the young rats, the adult fed group showed transiently elevated levels of IgG anti-OvA antibodies at 1 week post-immunization, followed by a subsequent significantly suppressed IgG antibody response. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the induction of anergy or active suppression after antigen feeding can be determined by the age at which the antigen is introduced to the mucosal immune system.