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Published on: June 8, 2022
Construction of a Synthetic Colostrum Substitute and Its Protection of Intestinal Cells against Inflammation in an In
Syaza Y Binte Abu Bakar1, Malinda Salim1, Andrew J Clulow2
1Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
Insights
Researchers developed a colostrum substitute with similar lipid digestion properties to human colostrum. This new formulation may help reduce inflammation and necrotizing enterocolitis markers in infant gut cells.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nutrition
- Gastroenterology
- Biomaterials science
Background:
- Human colostrum contains vital bioactive components for infant gut health and disease prevention.
- Premature infants often lack maternal colostrum, necessitating safe and effective substitutes.
- Understanding colostrum's lipid digestion and self-assembly is crucial for developing alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To rationally design a lipid component for a colostrum substitute.
- To evaluate the self-assembly behavior of lipids during digestion in gastrointestinal environments.
- To determine the anti-inflammatory potential of the colostrum substitute in intestinal cells.
Main Methods:
- Gas chromatography to analyze lipid composition.
- Small-angle X-ray scattering to monitor lipid self-assembly during digestion.
- Cell-based assays to assess modulation of necrotizing enterocolitis markers.
Main Results:
- Colostrum substitute lipid digestion profiles closely mimicked human colostrum.
- Subtle differences in lipid self-assembly were observed, attributed to free fatty acid distribution.
- The colostrum substitute modulated biological markers associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in treated cells.
Conclusions:
- A colostrum substitute with comparable composition and digestion behavior to human colostrum was formulated.
- The substitute shows potential in reducing characteristics associated with necrotizing enterocolitis.
- This research offers insights for developing improved neonatal nutritional strategies.
Abstract:
Colostrum provides bioactive components that are essential for the colonization of microbiota in the infant gut, while preventing infectious diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis. As colostrum is not always available from the mother, particularly for premature infants, effective and safe substitutes are keenly sought after by neonatologists. The benefits of bioactive factors in colostrum are recognized; however, there have been no accounts of human colostrum being studied during digestion of the lipid components or their self-assembly in gastrointestinal environments. Due to the weaker bile pool in infants than adults, evaluating the lipid composition of human colostrum and linking it to structural self-assembly behavior is important in these settings and thus enabling the formulation of substitutes for colostrum. This study is aimed at the rational design of an appropriate lipid component for a colostrum substitute and determining the ability of this formulation to reduce inflammation in intestinal cells. Gas chromatography was utilized to map lipid composition. The self-assembly of lipid components occurring during digestion of colostrum was monitored using small-angle X-ray scattering for comparison with substitute mixtures containing pure triglyceride lipids based on their abundance in colostrum. The digestion profiles of human colostrum and the substitute mixtures were similar. Subtle differences in lipid self-assembly were evident, with the substitute mixtures exhibiting additional non-lamellar phases, which were not seen for human colostrum. The difference is attributable to the distribution of free fatty acids released during digestion. The biological markers of necrotizing enterocolitis were modulated in cells that were treated with bifidobacteria cultured on colostrum substitute mixtures, compared to those treated with infant formula. These findings provide an insight into a colostrum substitute mixture that resembles human colostrum in terms of composition and structural behavior during digestion and potentially reduces some of the characteristics associated with necrotizing enterocolitis.
