[Literature library] Correlation between variations in HMO composition and intestinal epithelial barrier

3 min read / 06.04.2022

General Nutrition Obstetrics / Gynaecology Paediatrics

A recently published in vitro study demonstrated that various HMO compositions trigger both common and different intestinal epithelial cell responses. 4 HMO blends were extracted from mature human milk of 4 randomly selected individual mothers in Canada. In this study, barrier-protective effects were considered as one of the ‘core’ functions of HMOs, while immune regulation was considered as an ‘additive’ function of HMOs.

Epithelial injury model

Individual HMO blends were used to pretreat human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2Bbe1) cells before being challenged with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), serotype O157:H7 strain CL-56

Results

All 4 donors were secretors with variations in HMO composition
Each of the HMO blends substantially increased Caco-2Bbe1 Transepithelial Electrical Resistance (TER) compared to baseline levels in both the absence and presence of EHEC O157:H7, with variations among individual HMO blends
- Regardless of composition, individual HMO blends had barrier-protective capabilities
- Their capacity to protect against bacterial pathogen-induced alteration in the localization of intercellular tight junction protein varied
Dextran flux test showed that EHEC-induced increases in macromolecule permeability were decreased in polarized epithelia pretreated with HMOs
Each of the four HMO blends showed an increase in mRNA expression of Muc1 and Muc2 in the presence of EHEC challenge*
There was variation in how protein expression of ZO-1 and claudin-1 were preserved in response to intestinal injury following EHEC challenge
ERK1/2 phosphorylation was inhibited in cells pre-treated with each of the HMO blends, while the phosphorylation of P38 was inhibited by 3 out of the 4 HMO blends
- The effects varied among selected signal transduction responses in tested cells

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that HMOs from human milk help protect against pathogen-induced alterations in intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and macromolecular permeability

*Compared to EHEC O157:H7 challenge without HMOs

Link to the full article:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912797/pdf/nutrients-14-01014.pdf

Reference:

Wu RY et al. Variations in the composition of human milk oligosaccharides correlates with effects on both the intestinal epithelial barrier and host inflammation: A pilot study. Nutrients. 2022;14(5):1014.

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WYE-EM-036-MAR-22