About this Research Topic

Background

The human immune system first develops in utero and continues maturing through infancy and adolescence. Over the last decade, it has become clear that genetic and environmental factors influence its early development, either promoting or hampering a healthy immune system later in life.

Firstly, the placenta, a prime interface between the fetus and the environment, develops under the influence of both parental genomes. As the placenta regulates antigen exposure to the fetus, this suggests an early, indirect parental contribution to the training of the immune system. On the other side of the umbilical cord, the developing fetal immune system has evolved to tolerize maternal alloantigens. Still, it is also constantly solicited by antigens from the environment or from maternal disease. Together, circumstances of antigen exposure in utero affect the ontogeny of the immune system, which may result in atopic and other non-communicable pathologies later in life.

Secondly, outside of the womb, initial exposure conditions further impact the neonatal immune system, for example, through selective microorganisms’ exposure depending on the mode of delivery. Post-birth, various parameters continue regulating the development of the immature immune system, including feeding modes, which expose the neonate's immature gastrointestinal tract to distinct molecules. Beyond nutrition, human breastmilk provides pioneering bacteria, cytokines, immunoglobulins, mother's leukocytes, and more, that together shape the maturation of the gut-associated immune system.

As the world witnesses a surge in immune system disfunctions, including autoimmune diseases and allergies, it becomes critical to identify and harness essential contributors to developing a well-functioning immune system that can tolerate or eliminate under the right circumstances. This Research Topic aims to provide an overview of the State-of-the-Art in understanding mechanisms by which the immature immune system is shaped towards a particular response, during gestation and the perinatal and pediatric timeframes. We aim to present studies that contribute to identifying early windows of opportunities for possible interventions to promote the development of a healthy immune system.

In this research topic, we welcome original research articles, review articles, minireviews, and opinions covering, but not limited to, the following issues:

• Windows of opportunity for immune modeling at the gestational and pediatric stages.
• Maternal immune response to pathogens during pregnancy.
• Impact of maternal clinical and subclinical conditions on fetal, neonatal, and pediatric immune development.
• Infectious, maternal diseases on the neonatal and pediatric immune response.
• Inflammation on the anatomy of placental development.
• Immune properties of the placenta.
• Immune dynamism of breast milk.
• Crosstalk between immune cells and microbiota in breast milk.
• Crosstalk between the immune system and the developing brain: neurodevelopmental effects of immune dysregulation and inflammation in neuropsychiatric disorders.

We acknowledge the initiation and support of this Research Topic by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS). We hereby state publicly that the IUIS has had no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that all aspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, unbiased by any specific policy or opinion of the IUIS.

Topic Editor Dr. Szabo is a Scientific Advisor and consultant at Ninnion Therapeutics, and at Pangea Botanica. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.

Keywords: Pediatric, neonatal, Microbiota, Breastmilk, Placenta, Ontogeny, Gut-Brain Axis, Society Affiliation RT

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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