From bench to crib: translating human milk bioactive peptides into infant health interventions

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Nutritional Science
• Peptidomics

Background:

• Human milk (HM)-derived peptides significantly influence infant development, impacting immunity, gut health, and neurodevelopment.
• Current research often focuses narrowly on molecular aspects, neglecting the peptides' role in overall infant health outcomes.
• Existing discovery methods rely heavily on in vitro studies, adult models, and high doses, limiting translational relevance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reframe bioactive milk peptides as evolutionarily adapted molecules evaluated within infant physiology.
• To identify limitations in current peptide discovery pipelines and propose a translational framework.
• To outline a roadmap for identifying clinically relevant peptides for next-generation infant nutrition.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing current literature on human milk peptides and infant development.
• Analyzing limitations of existing in vitro assays, adult models, and dosing strategies.
• Proposing integration of peptidomics, infant-specific models, and systems-level validation.

Main Results:

• Current methods for studying milk peptides are insufficient for understanding their developmental impact.
• A translational framework integrating developmental biology is needed.
• A roadmap combining advanced techniques can prioritize peptides for clinical relevance.

Conclusions:

• Shifting focus from molecular activity to developmental impact is crucial.
• This approach will enable precision therapeutics and next-generation nutrition strategies.
• Understanding peptide function in infant physiology is key to harnessing their full potential.