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Secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in children and adolescents: The influence of pubertal development and history of maltreatment

2022; Elsevier BV; Volume: 103; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.bbi.2022.04.010

1090-2139

Laia Marqués-Feixa, Águeda Castro-Quintas, Helena Palma‐Gudiel, Soledad Romero, Àstrid Morer, Marta Rapado‐Castro, María Martín, Eric P. Zorrilla, Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla, Maite Ramírez, María Mayoral, Iria Méndez, Nerea San Martín-González, María Rodrigo-Yanguas, José Luis Monteserín-García, Lourdes Fañanás, María José Muñoz, Eulalia Anglada, Ariadna Mas, María José Lobato, Pilar Santamarina, Silvia Gadea, Maddi Laborde, Carmen Moreno, Lydia Gayubo, María Marín Vila,

Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) is an antibody protein-complex that plays a crucial role in immune first defense against infection. Although different immune biomarkers have been associated with stress-related psychopathology, s-IgA remains poorly studied, especially in youth.The present study investigated how s-IgA behaves in front of acute psychosocial stress in children and adolescents, including possible variability associated with developmental stage and history of childhood maltreatment (CM).94 children and adolescents from 7 to 17 years (54 with a current psychiatric diagnostic and 40 healthy controls) drawn from a larger Spanish study were explored (EPI-Young Stress Project). To assess biological reactivity, participants provided five saliva samples during an acute laboratory-based psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Samples were assayed for s-IgA, as well as for cortisol. Pubertal development was ascertained by Tanner stage and CM following TASSCV criteria.We observed s-IgA fluctuations throughout the stressor, indicating the validity of TSST-C to stimulate s-IgA secretion (F(4,199) = 6.200, p <.001). Although s-IgA trajectories followed a reactivity and recovery pattern in adolescents, children exhibited no s-IgA response when faced with stress (F(4,197) = 3.406, p =.010). An interaction was found between s-IgA and CM (F(4,203) = 2.643, p =.035). Interestingly, an interaction between developmental stage, CM history and s-IgA reactivity was identified (F(12,343) = 2.036, p =.017); while children non-exposed to maltreatment exhibited no s-IgA changes to acute stress, children with a history of CM showed a similar response to adolescents, increasing their s-IgA levels after the psychosocial stressor.Acute psychosocial stress stimulates s-IgA secretion, but only after puberty. However, children with a history of maltreatment exhibited a response resembling that of adolescents, suggesting an early maturation of the immune system. Further studies are needed to clarify the validity of s-IgA as an acute stress biomarker, including additional measures during stress exposure.