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Influence of breastfeeding on blood-cell transcript-based biomarkers of health in children

T Priego1, J Sánchez, C Picó

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Nutrition and Biotechnology (Nutrigenomics), University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Palma de Mallorca, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Pediatric Obesity
|November 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Breastfeeding is linked to higher expression of key metabolic genes in children's blood cells, indicating a lower risk of obesity and related issues. These gene expression patterns can identify formula-fed infants at higher risk for metabolic problems.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric metabolic health
  • Nutritional epigenetics
  • Biomarker discovery

Background:

  • Peripheral blood cell (PBC) gene expression can indicate metabolic status.
  • Specific gene expressions (CPT1A, SLC27A2, INSR, LEPR, FASN, PPARα) in PBCs are linked to lower risk of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in childhood obesity.
  • Breastfeeding may offer protection against obesity and associated metabolic disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between infant feeding type (breastfeeding vs. formula feeding) and the expression of specific transcriptional biomarkers of metabolic health in PBCs.
  • To analyze the relationship between gene expression levels (SLC27A2, CPT1A, FASN, PPARα, INSR, LEPR) and metabolic health indicators in children.
  • To explore the role of infant feeding in modulating metabolic health biomarkers within the IDEFICS cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Study included 237 children aged 2-9 years from eight European countries.
  • Analysis of gene expression levels in peripheral blood cells.
  • Comparison of biomarker expression and metabolic health indicators between breastfed and formula-fed children.

Main Results:

  • Breastfed children exhibited higher expression of SLC27A2, FASN, PPARα, and INSR compared to formula-fed children.
  • Breastfed children had a lower risk of being overweight and presenting high plasma triglyceride levels.
  • Formula-fed children with low expression of SLC27A2, FASN, PPARα, and INSR showed higher triglyceride levels, a difference not observed in breastfed children.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding's protective metabolic effects are evident through elevated expression of SLC27A2, FASN, PPARα, and INSR in blood cells.
  • These gene expression biomarkers can differentiate formula-fed children at increased risk for metabolic alterations.
  • Infant feeding type influences the relationship between PBC transcript levels and metabolic health markers like insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.
Abstract

Keywords:
Formula-feedingIDEFICS projectlactationmetabolic alteration

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