Milk glycan composition mediates gut microbiota, growth, and morbidity outcomes in Gambian infants (38.4)

Abstract

Human milk contains a variety of bioactive molecules that guide the development and growth of the newborn infant. Among them are various complex sugars or glycans, both as free oligosaccharides and as glycans bound to glycoproteins. Glycans in milk from mothers in the Gambia were examined in relation to infant gut microbiota, growth, and morbidity outcomes. Infants who were fast growers had higher relative concentrations of bifidobacteria, and were fed milks with higher % sialylated but not fucosylated oligosaccharides. On the other hand, the higher the % fucosylated oligosaccharides the less sick days the infant experienced. Growth rate was higher with increasing total oligosaccharide content of the milk. Higher levels of certain glycans on specific sites of two antibacterial proteins, lactoferrin and immunoglobulin A (IgA), were found in infants who had no sick days and low levels of fecal calprotectin, a measure of gut inflammation. In summary, glycosylation in human milk is an important mediator of gut microbiota composition, growth, and morbidity in developing infants.Grant Funding Source: Supported by Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations to R. Bernstein, #OPP1046163