High Hydrostatic Pressure Processing of Human Milk Increases Apelin and GLP-1 Contents to Modulate Gut Contraction and Glucose Metabolism in Mice Compared to Holder Pasteurization

Eve Wemelle,Marie De Lamballerie,Jean Lesage,Lucie Marousez,Claude Knauf

doi:10.3390/nu14010219

Abstract

Background: High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing is a non-thermal method proposed as an alternative to Holder pasteurization (HoP) for the sterilization of human breast milk (BM). HHP preserves numerous milk bioactive factors that are degraded by HoP, but no data are available for milk apelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), two hormones implicated in the control of glucose metabolism directly and via the gut–brain axis. This study aims to determine the effects of HoP and HHP processing on apelin and GLP-1 concentrations in BM and to test the effect of oral treatments with HoP- and HHP-BM on intestinal contractions and glucose metabolism in adult mice. Methods: Mice were treated by daily oral gavages with HoP- or HHP-BM during one week before intestinal contractions, and glucose tolerance was assessed. mRNA expression of enteric neuronal enzymes known to control intestinal contraction was measured. Results: HoP-BM displayed a reduced concentration of apelin and GLP-1, whereas HHP processing preserved these hormones close to their initial levels in raw milk. Chronic HHP-BM administration to mice increased ileal mRNA nNos expression level leading to a decrease in gut contraction associated with improved glucose tolerance. Conclusion: In comparison to HoP, HPP processing of BM preserves both apelin and GLP-1 and improves glucose tolerance by acting on gut contractions. This study reinforces previous findings demonstrating that HHP processing provides BM with a higher biological value than BM treated by HoP.

Highlights

Three aliquots of breast milk (BM) were prepared for each batch: one fraction was stored at −80 ◦ C without any other treatment (raw milk sample (RM)); one fraction was subjected to Holder pasteurization (HoP) according to the standard pasteurization protocol (62.5 ◦ C for 30 min) in our regional human milk banks (HMBs); the last fraction was subjected to High hydrostatic pressure (HHP)
Compared to RM, Figure 1A) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) levels (−83% compared to RM, Figure 1B)
No significant variation was observed for apelin (Figure 1A) and GLP-1 (Figure 1B)

Summary

Introduction

Human breast milk (BM) donated to human milk banks (HMBs) is the sole diet for preterm infants when maternal BM is not available. Pasteurization of donated BM is an essential step to inactivate pathogens to ensure microbial safety for preterm babies as, due to immature gut, these infants are at high risk of developing diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis [1]. BM is the Holder pasteurization (HoP) which consists of heating BM to 62.5 ◦ C for 30 min [2]. Owing to this heating, HoP degrades in part numerous milk heat-sensitive bioactive factors, including hormones [2]. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing is a non-thermal method recently proposed as an alternative to HoP for BM sterilization [3]

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