Oxylipins as Potential Regulators of Inflammatory Conditions of Human Lactation

Abstract

Chronic low-grade inflammation can be associated with obesity or subclinical mastitis (SCM), which is associated with poor infant growth in low- to middle-income country settings. It is unknown what physiological mechanisms are involved in low milk supply, but our research group has shown that mothers with low milk supply have higher inflammatory markers. Studies investigating oxylipin signaling have the potential to help explain mechanisms that mediate the impacts of inflammation on milk production. Animal studies have reported various elevated oxylipins during postpartum inflammation, mastitis, and mammary involution in ruminant models. Several investigations have quantified oxylipins in human milk, but very few studies have reported circulating oxylipin concentrations during lactation. In addition, there are technical considerations that must be addressed when reporting oxylipin concentrations in human milk. First, the majority of milk oxylipins are esterified in the triglyceride pool, which is not routinely measured. Second, total milk fat should be considered as a covariate when using milk oxylipins to predict outcomes. Finally, storage and handling conditions of milk samples must be carefully controlled to ensure accurate milk oxylipin quantitation, which may be affected by highly active lipases in human milk.

Identification of omega-3 oxylipins in human milk-derived extracellular vesicles with pro-resolutive actions in gastrointestinal inflammation

“…There is accumulating evidence that milk-derived bioactive lipids have multifunctional properties ( 6 ). Oxylipins are a diverse class of specialized signaling molecules derived from LC-PUFAs that regulate neonatal intestinal development and protect PIs against intestinal injury ( 9 , 10 ). Both ω-3 and ω-6 oxylipins are involved in the initiation and resolution of inflammatory processes ( 10 ).…”