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Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
Published on: February 7, 2025
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Human Milk Oligosaccharides Support Coordinated Microbiome and Immune Development and Function in Infancy.
1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA, sdonovan@illinois.edu.
Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism
|April 1, 2026
Summary
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) protect infants from pathogens and educate the immune system. Studies show HMOs modulate host defense, promote beneficial bacteria, and enhance gut barrier function for infant health.
Area of Science:
- Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) research
- Infant immunology
- Microbiome development
Background:
- Human milk contains diverse functional ingredients crucial for infant microbiome and immune development.
- Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a major component, with unique structures influencing physiological effects.
- HMOs play a key role in protecting infants from pathogens and educating their immune systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the direct and indirect protective mechanisms of HMOs against pathogens.
- To explore how HMOs educate the infant immune system.
- To summarize the evidence for HMOs in modulating host defense and immune development.
Main Methods:
- This is a narrative review synthesizing findings from preclinical research, observational studies, and intervention trials.
- Analysis of HMO structure-function relationships in relation to immune modulation.
- Review of clinical trials on infant formula supplemented with synthetic human-identical milk oligosaccharides (HiMOs).
Main Results:
- HMOs reduce pathogen infectivity by interacting with viruses and bacteria.
- HMOs enhance intestinal barrier function, promote cell maturation, and increase mucin production.
- HMOs modulate immune cells, promote beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis, and produce antimicrobial short-chain fatty acids.
Conclusions:
- HMOs offer multilayered modulation of host defense and immune development in infants.
- Clinical trials with HiMOs show benefits for immunity and gut microbiota, but optimal use requires further research.
- Further studies in healthy infants are needed to clarify the long-term immune benefits of HiMO supplementation.
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