Who's Who at the Arizona Respiratory Center

Activities

Our laboratory is focused primarily on identifying factors in prenatal or neonatal life that influence risk of asthma and allergic disease in later childhood. Studies from the ARC and elsewhere have shown that atopic mothers convey greater risk to their offspring in this regard than do atopic fathers. One potential explanation lies in the intrauterine environment mothers provide for their developing infants. We have found significant correlations between placental production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-5 and production of those cytokines by baby's cord blood cells, suggesting that mother's and baby's immune systems may influence each other. We are currently gathering information about a group of 59 infants, now up to 5 years old, to compare their current health status with information gathered at the time of birth. This information may provide important clues as to the impact the intrauterine environment plays in development of asthma and allergies.

We also provide a support for clinical studies being carried out in the ARC by assisting in the collection and processing of clinical samples, such as sputum.

Selected Publications

• Brown MA, Rad PY, Halonen M. Method of birth alters interferon-gamma and IL-12 production by cord blood mononuclear cells. Ped Allergy Immunol 2003;14:106-111.
• Brown M, Gustafson M, Saldaña S, Baradaran A, Miller H, Halonen M. Correlation of human decidual and cord blood mononuclear cell cytokine production. Human Immunol 2004; 65:1336-1343.

Funding Sources

• American Lung Association of Arizona/New Mexico
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases