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Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation
Published on: February 15, 2018
Human milk glycans protect infants against enteric pathogens
David S Newburg1, Guillermo M Ruiz-Palacios, Ardythe L Morrow
1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129-4404, USA. dnewburg@partners.org
Annual Review of Nutrition
|July 14, 2005
Summary
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) protect breastfed infants from pathogens by inhibiting pathogen binding. These protective glycans are a key component of human milk's innate immune system, offering a basis for new disease-preventing agents.
Area of Science:
- Human milk composition
- Immunology
- Glycobiology
Background:
- Breastfed infants exhibit reduced morbidity and mortality compared to artificially fed infants, primarily attributed to milk's immune factors.
- Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), once considered non-functional, are now recognized as complex components with protective roles.
- Pathogen inhibition by HMOs is mainly through preventing pathogen attachment to host cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the protective role of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) against pathogens.
- To present the argument that specific glycans in human milk constitute an innate immune system.
- To explore the potential of these protective glycans as therapeutic agents.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on human milk oligosaccharides and infant health.
- Analysis of the mechanisms by which HMOs inhibit pathogen binding.
- Examination of the relationship between maternal genetics (Lewis blood group) and HMO composition.
Main Results:
- Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are composed of thousands of components, many protecting against pathogens.
- Fucosylated HMOs, influenced by maternal Lewis blood group type, are key in protecting infants from infectious diseases.
- Specific glycans, particularly HMOs, act as a major innate immune constituent in human milk.
Conclusions:
- Specific glycans, especially HMOs, form a crucial innate immune system in human milk, protecting infants from pathogens.
- The synthesis of HMOs represents a significant maternal energy investment, aligning with reproductive strategies.
- These protective glycans hold promise for developing novel prophylactic and therapeutic agents against mucosal pathogens.
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