5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  Newborns start producing their own antibodies within weeks of birth, rather than relying solely on maternal immunity.

• 2

  The study utilized LC-MS-based Fab profiling to analyze antibody repertoires in maternal and infant samples.

• 3

  At birth, infant serum primarily contained maternal IgG1, while IgA1 was nearly absent.

• 4

  By 7-11 weeks postpartum, infants produced new IgA1 and IgG1 antibodies that did not overlap with maternal sources.

• 5

  The findings challenge the assumption that IgA from breast milk enters the infant bloodstream, indicating a rapid establishment of systemic immunity.