Key findings
Bacterial and HMO composition
- The most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) present in human milk samples: Streptococcus mitis (S. mitis), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), Streptococcus salivarius (S. salivarius) and Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes)
- The most dominant HMOs in human milk samples: 2’-FL, 3-FL, LNT, LNFP-II and DFLNT
- Secretors had substantially higher levels of 2’-FL, DFLac, LNnT, LNFP-I, LST c and DFLNT, while non-secretors had higher levels of 3-FL, LNT, LNFP-II, LST b, DFLNH and FDSLNH
- Infants of secretors had significantly higher 24-hour intakes of 2’-FL, DFLac, LNnt, LNFP-I, LST c, DFLNT and LNH, while infants of non-secretors had higher intakes of 3-FL, LST b, LNFP-II, DFLNH and FDSLNH
Associations between maternal characteristics and HMO composition
- Maternal anthropometry and body composition were positively associated with levels of 2’-FL and LNH, but the associations varied depending on maternal secretor status
- In secretors, adiposity was positively associated with 2’-FL and FLNH levels
- In non-secretors, adiposity was positively associated with 2’-FL and FLNH levels but negatively associated with 3’-SL
Associations between maternal characteristics and infant body composition
- In secretors
- Positive associations were observed between maternal fat free mass (FFM) and infant length
- In non-secretors
- Negative associations were observed between maternal FFM parameters and infant body composition
- Negative associations were observed between maternal FFM parameters and infant body composition
Associations between HMO concentration and human milk bacterial profile
- Higher level of FLNH was associated with lower relative abundances of S. epidermidis and S. salivarius
- Higher levels of LNFP-III, DSLNT, FDSLNH were associated with lower relative abundance of Veillonella nakazawae (V. nakazawae)
- Higher levels of LNnT and DFLac were associated with higher relative abundances of C. acnes and Gemella haemolysans (G. haemolysans)
- In secretors
- The associations between 3’-SL and S. epidermidis were negative
- The associations between DFLac and V. nakazawae were negative
- In non-secretors
- Both positive and negative associations between HMOs and bacterial profile were observed
- Both positive and negative associations between HMOs and bacterial profile were observed
Associations between human milk bacterial profile and infant body composition
- Regardless of maternal secretor status
- Higher relative abundances of S. epidermidis, Streptococcus parasanguinis (S. parasanguinis) and Streptococcus lactarius (S. lactarius) were associated with increased infant anthropometry, adiposity and FFM
- Negative association was observed between S. epidermidis and infant length
- In secretors
- No associations observed
- In non-secretors
- Negative association was observed between S. mitis and anthropometry
- Positive association was observed between S. parasanguinis and BMIAZ
Associations between HMO concentration and infant body composition
- Regardless of maternal secretor status
- Higher levels of FLNH, LNnT and LNFP-III were negatively associated with infant anthropometry and body composition
- Higher level of DFLNH was positively associated with infant anthropometry and body composition
- In secretors
- Positive association was observed between 3’-SL level and infant FFM
- In non-secretors
- DFLNT level was positively associated with infant anthropometry and body composition
- FLNH level was negatively associated with infant anthropometry and body composition
Associations between HMO intake and infant body composition
- Regardless of maternal secretor status
- 2’-FL, 3-FL, DFLac, DFLNH, DFLNT and LST b intakes were positively associated with infant body composition
- In secretors
- Positive association was observed between 3’-SL intake and infant body composition
- In non-secretors
- 6’-SL and FDSLNH intakes were negatively associated with infant body composition
- 6’-SL and FDSLNH intakes were negatively associated with infant body composition
Abbreviations
2’-FL = 2’-Fucosyllactose; 3-FL = 3-fucosyllactose; LNT = lacto-N-tetrose; LNFP-II = lacto-N-fucopentaose II; DFLNT = difucosyllacto-N-tetrose; DFLac = difucosyllactose; LNnT = lacto-N-neotetraose; LNFP-I = lacto-N-fucopentaose; LST c = sialyllacto-N-tetraose c; LST b = sialyllacto-N-tetraose b; DFLNH = difucosyllacto-N-tetraose; FDS-LNH = fucodisialylacto-N-hexaose; LNH = lacto-N-nexaose; FLNH = fucosyllacto-N-hexaose; 3’-SL = 3’-sialyllactose; LNFP-III = lacto-N-fucopentaose; DSLNT = disialyllacto-N-tetraose; 6’-SL = 6’-sialyllactose; BMIAZ = BMI-for-age z-scores
Link to the full article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8911220/pdf/ijms-23-02865.pdf
Reference:
Cheema AS et al. Human milk oligosaccharides and bacterial profile modulate infant body composition during exclusive breastfeeding. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(5):2865.
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