Structure-Specific and Individual-Dependent Metabolization of Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Infants: A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study

Fangjie Gu, Shuang Wang, Roseriet Beijers, Carolina De Weerth, Henk A. Schols*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To follow human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) biosynthesis and in vivometabolization, mother milk and infant feces from 68 mother-infant dyads at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postpartum were analyzed, with 18 major HMOs quantitated. Fucosylated and neutral core HMO levels in milk were dependent on mothers' Lewis/Secretor status, whereas most sialylated HMO levels were independent. Infant fecal excretion of HMOs gradually declined with age, especially for neutral core structures. Although decreasing in absolute concentrations in milk during lactation, the relative abundance of total fucosylated HMOs increased in both milk and feces. Mono-fucosylated HMOs were more consumed than those decorated with two fucose moieties. More (α2-3)-sialylated HMOs were degraded than (α2-6)-sialylated HMOs. The transition speed of HMO metabolization from nonspecific or structure-specific consumption stage to the complete consumption stage was individual-dependent. Variation was associated with mode and place of delivery, where caesarean section or early exposure to hospital environment delayed the transition.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6186–6199
JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Volume69
Issue number22
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 May 2021

Keywords

  • consumption pattern
  • delivery mode
  • Lewis
  • prebiotics
  • Secretor

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