Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Sialic acid in human milk: composition and functions.

T Nakano1, M Sugawara, H Kawakami

  • 1Nutritional Science Laboratory, Snow Brand Milk Products Co., Ltd., 1-2, Minamidai l-Chome, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan. t-nakano@snowbrand.co.jp

Acta Paediatrica Taiwanica = Taiwan Er Ke Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi
|March 29, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Human milk is rich in sialic acid, crucial for infant development and protection. Sialylated compounds in breast milk support brain function and defend against infections by inhibiting pathogens and promoting beneficial gut bacteria.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A prospective, multicenter, observational study of trastuzumab deruxtecan in elderly patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer: EN-COURAGE.

ESMO gastrointestinal oncology·2026
Same author

Prognostic factors and treatment response in HER2-positive gastric cancer patients receiving trastuzumab deruxtecan: secondary analysis of the EN-DEAVOR study.

ESMO gastrointestinal oncology·2026
Same author

Association of PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in <i>BRAF</i> V600E-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer: GI-SCREEN <i>post-hoc</i> analysis.

ESMO gastrointestinal oncology·2026
Same author

WJOG18524G: a single-arm phase II study evaluating bemarituzumab combined with ramucirumab and paclitaxel in fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b)-positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer (RAINBIRD).

ESMO gastrointestinal oncology·2026
Same author

Real-world evaluation of interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis in patients treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan for HER2-positive advanced or recurrent gastric cancer: a postmarketing surveillance study in Japan.

ESMO open·2025
Same author

Computer-assisted surgery with markerless augmented reality for the surgical removal of mandibular odontogenic cysts: report of two clinical cases.

International journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery·2024

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Human Nutrition
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Breast milk is the optimal nutrient source for infants, containing essential elements for growth and development.
  • Human milk has a higher sialic acid content than bovine milk, with sialic acid bound to oligosaccharides, glycolipids, and glycoproteins.
  • Sialic acid is vital for infant physiological functions, particularly brain development and the immune system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the composition of sialic acid in human milk.
  • To explore the physiological functions of sialylated compounds in human milk for infant health.

Main Methods:

  • Quantification of sialic acid content in human milk.
  • Analysis of different sialoglycoconjugate forms (oligosaccharides, glycolipids, glycoproteins).

Related Experiment Videos

  • In vitro studies on the effects of sialylated compounds on pathogen adhesion and gut bacteria growth.

    • Main Results:

    • Human milk contains 0.3-1.5 mg/ml of sialic acid, primarily as sialyllactose (75% of total).
    • Ganglioside concentrations vary during lactation, with GM3 increasing and GD3 decreasing.
    • Sialylated compounds demonstrated inhibition of pathogen adhesion and promoted the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.

    Conclusions:

    • Sialylated compounds in human milk play a significant role in infant brain development and function.
    • These compounds offer protection against enteric infections by preventing pathogen adhesion to epithelial cells.
    • Sialylated compounds contribute to a healthy infant gut microbiome, supporting beneficial bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.