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A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples
Published on: March 23, 2018
A pilot study of the effect of human breast milk on urinary metabolome analysis in infants
Hiromichi Shoji1, Hikari Taka1, Naoko Kaga1
1.
Insights
Breastfeeding impacts infant metabolism, showing higher choline and lower lactate, threonine, and carnosine levels at one month. These differences diminish by six months, highlighting early nutritional effects.
Area of Science:
- Metabolomics
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Investigating the nutritional impact of breastfeeding on infant development is crucial.
- Urinary metabolome analysis offers a non-invasive method to assess infant metabolic profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the nutritional effects of breastfeeding versus formula feeding in healthy term infants.
- To utilize urinary metabolome analysis to identify specific metabolic differences.
Main Methods:
- Collected urine samples from 19 infants at 1 month and 14 at 6 months.
- Categorized infants into breast-fed and formula-fed groups.
- Performed urinary metabolome analysis using capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOF/MS).
Main Results:
- Identified 29 distinct metabolites in infant urine samples.
- Observed significantly higher urinary choline metabolites in breast-fed infants at 1 month (p<0.05).
- Found significantly lower urinary lactic acid, l(-)-threonine, and l-carnosine in breast-fed infants at 1 month.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding influences choline metabolism and levels of lactate, threonine, and carnosine in early infancy.
- Metabolomic analysis via CE-TOF/MS is effective for evaluating infant nutritional status.
- Metabolic differences observed at 1 month were not significant at 6 months, suggesting adaptation or changing dietary influences.
Background:
This study aimed to examine the nutritional effect of breast feeding on healthy term infants by using urinary metabolome analysis.
Methods:
Urine samples were collected from 19 and 14 infants at 1 and 6 months, respectively. Infants were separated into two groups: the breast-fed group receiving <540 mL/week of their intake from formula (n=13 at 1 month; n=9 at 6 months); and the formula-fed group receiving no breast milk (BM) (n=6 at 1 month; n=5 at 6 months). Urinary metabolome analysis was performed using capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOF/MS).
Results:
A total of 29 metabolites were detected by CE-TOF/MS metabolome analysis in all samples. Urinary excretion of choline metabolites (choline base solution, N,N-dimethylglycine, sarcosine, and betaine) at 1 month were significantly (p<0.05) higher in breast-fed infants than in formula-fed infants. However, choline metabolites were not significantly different between the groups at 6 months. Urinary excretion of lactic acid in breast-fed infants at 1 and 6 months was significantly lower than that in formula-fed infants. Urinary l(-)-threonine and l-carnosine excretion at 1 month was significantly lower in breast-fed infants than in formula-fed infants, but it was not significantly different between the groups at 6 months.
Conclusions:
The type of feeding in early infancy affects choline metabolism, as well as lactate, threonine, and carnosine levels, in healthy term infants. Urinary metabolome analysis by the CE-TOF/MS method is useful for assessing nutritional metabolism in infants.
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