Human milk proteome and peptidome: variation, interaction, and relation with allergy

To provide infants with nutrition and protection, the mother's body produces a complex biofluid, human milk. Among the many constituents of this milk are proteins and peptides, diverse groups of molecules with a variety of functions. To date, many questions regarding the characteristics of the proteome and peptidome as well as about how these relate to allergy of mother and child remained unanswered. The aim of this thesis was to provide an insight into the diverse and dynamic protein and peptide composition of human milk. Besides a thorough investigation of interindividual variation, light is shed on the presence of nonhuman proteins and peptides, on the associations between proteins and peptides profile, and on the relation with allergy of both mother and infant. The analysis of the human milk protein and peptide profile undertaken in this thesis, has extended the current knowledge and shows the need of a systems approach to discover their complexity.