Faecal excretion of oligosaccharides and other carbohydrates in normal neonates.

Abstract

Chromatographic analysis of sugars in the stools of 40 normal newborn infants has shown the presence of an oligosaccharide in 85% of samples. The oligosaccharide has been shown to contain fucose (6-deoxygalactose), glucose, and galactose and is present in normal breast milk. In addition fucose has also been found in the presence of galactose in some samples and is probably a breakdown product of milk oligosaccharides. These findings, which affect the interpretation of faecal sugar excretion, have not been described previously.

Identity of an Oligosaccharide Present in Faeces in Breast-Fed Neonates

“…Partial hydrolysis showed those sugars as well as material migrating as lactose and some residual oligosaccharide. TLC of the faecal extract revealed the presence of sugars migrating in the positions of fucose, glucose, and galactose in roughly equal amounts and a smaller amount of lactose in association with a major oligosaccharide band as described by Whyte et al, (1978). The GLC trace showed the presence of fucose, glucose, and galactose in the oligosaccharide in a molar ratio of 1:1:1 approximately, and the mass spectral data were consistent with these monosaccharides.…”

“…One recent study has shown that the commonest carbohydrate present in the first week of life is an oligosaccharide which is difficult to separate from lactose using conventional sugar chromatographic methods. Acid hydrolysis releases glucose and galactose so that the oligosaccharide may be identified falsely as lactose (Whyte et al, 1978).…”

“…A sample of faeces obtained from a normal, healthy, breast-fed infant was examined by the methods described by Whyte et al (1978), and the presence of the oligosaccharide was confirmed. The faecal extract was compared with samples of expressed human breast milk using a new thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) procedure for the study of oligosaccharides (West, 1978) using n-butanol: glacial acetic acid: 1 M-lactic acid (2:1 :1) as developing solvent and orcinol reagent for location.…”

“…Careful examination of thin-layer chrernatograms of faeces from newborn infants fed on human breast milk reveals an oligosaccharide that has been tentatively identified as fucosyllactose and occurs in 85 % of newborn stools (Whyte et al, 1978).…”

“…The eluate was centrifuged and the supernatant was dried down in a vacuum desiccator over phosphorus pentoxide. A portion was hydrolysed in an equal volume of O'IM sulphuric acid in sealed ampoules at 90°C for 1 hour, and the products were examined by TLC in the solvent system described by Whyte et al (1978). The oligosaccharide was subjected to methanolysis and the products were silylated and examined by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) using the method of Clamp (1977) with a Micromass 16 mass spectrometer attached to the gas chromatograph.…”