Comparative Lipidomic Analyses Reveal Different Protections in Preterm and Term Breast Milk for Infants.

Liping Xu,Zhangbin Yu,Shuping Han,Xingyun Wang,Wenjuan Chen

doi:10.3389/fped.2020.00590

Abstract

Aim: Neonates are notably vulnerable, however they have improved outcomes if they are fed human milk. Human milk lipids constitute the primary constituents of human milk and serve a pivotal role in safeguarding infants from diseases. We assessed the lipid differences between preterm and term human milk and predicted the prospective impacts of these lipids on the development of neonates.Methods and results: We collected colostrum from healthy breast-feeding mothers who had delivered either term or preterm infants. We analyzed the lipid profiles of preterm, as well as term human milk using an LC-MS/MS metabolomics strategy. The orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis score plots revealed remarkable distinction of lipids in preterm and term human milk. In total, 16 subclasses of 235 differential lipids (variable importance in projection > 1, P < 0.05) were identified. Notably, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were robustly increased in preterm human milk, while diacylglycerol and ceramide were markedly decreased in preterm human milk. Pathway analysis revealed that these dysregulated lipids are closely associated with glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, Reelin signaling in neurons, and LXR/RXR activation.Conclusion: The results show that the lipids in preterm and term human colostrum vary, which may be critical for neonatal development.

Highlights

Human milk constitutes an optimal supply of nutrition and bioactive components for infants [1]
Previous studies have investigated the constitution of preterm, as well as term human milk, indicating that significant differences are important for infant development [8]
The fluid produced by the mammary glands over the first few postnatal days, is rich in biologically protective components; these components are present in elevated levels in the colostrum of mothers who have given birth to preterm infants than in that of mothers who have given birth to term infants [18]

Summary

Introduction

Human milk constitutes an optimal supply of nutrition and bioactive components for infants [1]. Human milk feeding is known to have several important specific protective actions and is recommended for preterm infants [2]. Preterm neonates that consume human milk have improved immunity [3], decreased morbidity and mortality associated with necrotizing enterocolitis [4], better neurodevelopmental outcomes, and improved long-term health outcomes [5, 6]. Human milk composition is variable during the 1st weeks of life because the nutritional needs of preterm infants are different from those of term infants [7]. Previous studies have investigated the constitution of preterm, as well as term human milk, indicating that significant differences are important for infant development [8].

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Results

Conclusion