Functional effects of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)

Abstract

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most important solid component in human milk and act in tandem with other bioactive components. Individual HMO levels and distribution vary greatly between mothers by multiple variables, such as secretor status, race, geographic region, environmental conditions, season, maternal diet, and weight, gestational age and mode of delivery. HMOs improve the gastrointestinal barrier and also promote a bifidobacterium-rich gut microbiome, which protects against infection, strengthens the epithelial barrier, and creates immunomodulatory metabolites. HMOs fulfil a variety of physiologic functions including potential support to the immune system, brain development, and cognitive function. Supplementing infant formula with HMOs is safe and promotes a healthy development of the infant revealing benefits for microbiota composition and infection prevention. Because of limited data comparing the effect of non-human oligosaccharides to HMOs, it is not known if HMOs offer an additional clinical benefit over non-human oligosaccharides. Better knowledge of the factors influencing HMO composition and their functions will help to understand their short- and long-term benefits.

Human Milk Oligosaccharides: A Critical Review on Structure, Preparation, Their Potential as a Food Bioactive Component, and Future Perspectives

“…Gastrointestinal (GI) microorganisms’ colonization and metabolic processes, mature immunity, and appropriate development are inseparable from the GI tract . Disruption of colonization in infancy has been associated with an increased risk of several diseases, including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, diabetes, and obesity, highlighting that early life is a critical window in shaping the gut microbiome. , Various perinatal factors, such as delivery mode, gestational age, and antibiotic use, influence microbial aggregation in the GI tract; however, infant diet is one of the most important determinants of early microbial structure. , Human milk provides essential nutrients for growth and an array of bioactive molecules that profoundly impact microbial colonization and succession. , Breast-feeding has been shown to prevent respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases and can reduce the risk of noncommunicable inflammatory disorders. It is hypothesized that these benefits are mediated at least in part through the gut microbiome. , …”

“…1 Disruption of colonization in infancy has been associated with an increased risk of several diseases, including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, diabetes, and obesity, highlighting that early life is a critical window in shaping the gut microbiome. 2,3 Various perinatal factors, such as delivery mode, gestational age, and antibiotic use, influence microbial aggregation in the GI tract; however, infant diet is one of the most important determinants of early microbial structure. 4,5 Human milk provides essential nutrients for growth and an array of bioactive molecules that profoundly impact microbial colonization and succession.…”

“…4,5 Human milk provides essential nutrients for growth and an array of bioactive molecules that profoundly impact microbial colonization and succession. 2,6 Breast-feeding has been shown to prevent respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases and can reduce the risk of noncommunicable inflammatory disorders. It is hypothesized that these benefits are mediated at least in part through the gut microbiome.…”

Isolation of Human Milk Difucosyl Nona- and Decasaccharides by Ultrahigh-Temperature Preparative PGC-HPLC and Identification of Novel Difucosylated Heptaose and Octaose Backbones by Negative-Ion ESI-MSn

“…1,2 HMOs have been identified as decoy receptors preventing infections by many pathogens and regulate cell surface receptors triggering immune responses. 3−5 HMOs also play important roles in regulation of gut microbiota, 6,7 promote the survival of beneficial Bifidobacterium species, and suppress potentially harmful or pathogenic bacteria. 8,9 Despite their many important physiological functions, past work has been focused mainly on the high-abundance HMOs with a relatively low degree of polymerization (DP) due to the lack of efficient methods for separation/purification and highsensitivity sequencing.…”

“…Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) make up the third most abundant component and consist of a lactose core decorated with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), d -galactose (Gal), l -fucose (Fuc), and sialic acid (NeuAc). Fucosylated HMOs are most abundant and form the blood group ABH­(O) and Lewis (Le) epitopes. , HMOs have been identified as decoy receptors preventing infections by many pathogens and regulate cell surface receptors triggering immune responses. − HMOs also play important roles in regulation of gut microbiota, , promote the survival of beneficial Bifidobacterium species, and suppress potentially harmful or pathogenic bacteria. , …”