Abstract
Human milk is the most complete and ideal form of nutrition for the developing infant. The composition of human milk consistently changes throughout lactation to meet the changing functional needs of the infant. The human milk proteome is an essential milk component consisting of proteins, including enzymes/proteases, glycoproteins, and endogenous peptides. These compounds may contribute to the healthy development in a synergistic way by affecting growth, maturation of the immune system, from innate to adaptive immunity, and the gut. A comprehensive overview of the human milk proteome, covering all of its components, is lacking, even though numerous analyses of human milk proteins have been reported. Such data could substantially aid in our understanding of the functionality of each constituent of the proteome. This review will highlight each of the aforementioned components of human milk and emphasize the functionality of the proteome throughout lactation, including nutrient delivery and enhanced bioavailability of nutrients for growth, cognitive development, immune defense, and gut maturation.
Highlights
Human milk via breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant feeding, as it provides nutritional excellence, and protective effects during a time of unmatched antigenic and pathogenic challenges
We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the human milk proteome, which is obtained by applying multiple omics approaches, including proteomics, peptidomics, and glycoproteomics
It has been previously demonstrated that peptides from major whey proteins, such as lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and secretory immunoglobulins, remain intact and they do not contribute to the milk peptidome [74,76,77,84], under healthy conditions. These studies demonstrated that the majority of endogenous peptides were derived from caseins, osteopontin, and polymeric immunoglobulin receptor, and that these peptides represented a minority of the total protein content
Summary
Human milk via breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant feeding, as it provides nutritional excellence, and protective effects during a time of unmatched antigenic and pathogenic challenges Both short and long term health benefits have been attributed to breastfeeding by clinical and epidemiological studies [1]. The act of breastfeeding has shown to be beneficial for maternal health, including reduced risk for development of rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and breast and ovarian cancer [1] For all these reasons and more, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and in conjunction with complementary food feeding through one year of life or longer, as desired by the mother and infant, are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization [1]. We will emphasize the functionality of the proteome throughout lactation, including nutrient delivery and enhanced bioavailability of nutrients for growth, cognitive development, immune defense, and gut maturation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
