Human Milk Lipids Induce Important Metabolic and Epigenetic Changes in Neonates

Lipids are a major source of energy during the fetal/neonatal period. Most are received from the mother, transplacentally during the intrauterine period or via maternal milk after birth. However, in addition to the known nutritional roles, lipids are now known to bind a variety of cellular receptors to regulate specific patterns in metabolism and gene expression. The expression of these receptors is regulated by various genetic and environmental stimuli, and ligation can activate positive-feedback loops in the expression and the activity of downstream signaling pathways. The authors summarize the role of lipid ligands, cognate receptors, epigenetic regulation, and downstream signaling.