Some new papers, beginning with this study from the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands:
Title: Human milk inhibits some enveloped virus infections, including SARS-CoV-2, in an intestinal model.
In: Life Science Alliance 2022 Dec; 5(12): e202201432.
Authors: Ikrame Aknouch, Adithya Sridhar, Eline Freeze, Francesca Paola Giugliano, Britt J van Keulen, Michelle Romijn, Carlemi Calitz, Inés García-Rodríguez, Lance Mulder, Manon E Wildenberg, Vanesa Muncan, Marit J van Gils, Johannes B van Goudoever, Koert J Stittelaar, Katja C Wolthers, and Dasja Pajkrt.
Abstract: "Human milk is important for antimicrobial defense in infants and has well demonstrated antiviral activity. We evaluated the protective ability of human milk against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in a human fetal intestinal cell culture model. We found that, in this model, human milk blocks SARS-CoV-2 replication, irrespective of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific antibodies. Complete inhibition of both enveloped Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and human respiratory syncytial virus infections was also observed, whereas no inhibition of non-enveloped enterovirus A71 infection was seen. Transcriptome analysis after 24 h of the intestinal monolayers treated with human milk showed large transcriptomic changes from human milk treatment, and subsequent analysis suggested that ATP1A1 down-regulation by milk might be of importance. Inhibition of ATP1A1 blocked SARS-CoV-2 infection in our intestinal model, whereas no effect on EV-A71 infection was seen. Our data indicate that human milk has potent antiviral activity against particular (enveloped) viruses by potentially blocking the ATP1A1-mediated endocytic process."
Open access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9354649/
Title: Preterm birth and human milk proteome: are we ready for individualized fortification?
In: Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2022 May 1;25(3):216-222. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000824.
Authors: Jing Zhu, Mengyuan Liu, Yan Xing.
Abstract "Purpose of review: Preterm birth is one of the most pressing clinical problems in obstetrics and neonatology worldwide. One of the most sophisticated components of human milk is the proteome and a better understanding of it can lead to precision guides for feeding preterm infants. In this review, we will examine recent research focused on the human milk proteome and individualized protein fortification of human milk. Recent findings: In both preterm and term birth, the protein content in mother's own milk dropped rapidly in the early postnatal period. Preterm milk had a higher protein content and contained different protein and endogenous peptide compositions compared with term milk. The peptides in gastrointestinal fluids of preterm infants still need further investigation. Individualized fortification is more superior to standard fortification, but it only focuses on the total protein amount. There is no data concerning the composition and posttranslational modifications of proteins and endogenous peptides with fortification and their longterm effects. Summary: Comprehensive identification and characterization of the human milk proteome have led to the targeted breast milk fortification theory of preterm infant feeding and has also been enriched by clinical trials. However, to achieve fortification of key proteins and/or endogenous peptides, as standard clinical practice, requires additional studies. Future research should explore the long-term effect of protein fortification and pay more attention to quality rather than quantity in relation to infant body composition and growth outcomes."
Title: Human Milk Extracellular Vesicles: A Biological System with Clinical Implications.
In: Cells 2022 Jul 30;11(15):2345. doi: 10.3390/cells11152345.
Authors: Somchai Chutipongtanate, Ardythe L Morrow, David S Newburg.
Abstract: "The consumption of human milk by a breastfeeding infant is associated with positive health outcomes, including lower risk of diarrheal disease, respiratory disease, otitis media, and in later life, less risk of chronic disease. These benefits may be mediated by antibodies, glycoproteins, glycolipids, oligosaccharides, and leukocytes. More recently, human milk extracellular vesicles (hMEVs) have been identified. HMEVs contain functional cargos, i.e., miRNAs and proteins, that may transmit information from the mother to promote infant growth and development. Maternal health conditions can influence hMEV composition. This review summarizes hMEV biogenesis and functional contents, reviews the functional evidence of hMEVs in the maternal-infant health relationship, and discusses challenges and opportunities in hMEV research. Keywords: breastmilk; exosomes; extracellular vesicles; human milk; maternal–child health outcomes; non-coding RNAs."
Open access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9367292/
Title: Human Milk and Preterm Infant Brain Development: A Narrative Review.
In: Clinical Therapeutics 2022 Apr;44(4):612-621. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2022.02.011.
Authors: Mandy Brown Belfort, Terrie E Inder.
Abstract: "Purpose: To review and synthesize the literature on human milk and structural brain development and injury in preterm infants, focusing on the application of quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in this field. Methods: For this narrative review, we searched PubMed for articles published from 1990 to 2021 that reported observational or interventional studies of maternal milk or donor milk in relation to brain development and/or injury in preterm infants assessed with quantitative MRI at term equivalent age. Studies were characterized with respect to key aspects of study design, milk exposure definition, and MRI outcomes. Findings: We identified 7 relevant studies, all of which were observational in design and published between 2013 and 2021. Included preterm infants were born at or below 33 weeks' gestation. Sample sizes ranged from 22 to 377 infants. Exposure to human milk included both maternal and donor milk. No study included a full-term comparison group. Main MRI outcome domains were white matter integrity (assessed with diffusion tensor imaging, resting state functional connectivity, or semiautomated segmentation of white matter abnormality) and total and regional brain volumes. Studies revealed that greater exposure to human milk versus formula was associated with favorable outcomes, including more mature and connected cerebral white matter with less injury and larger regional brain volumes, notably in the deep nuclear gray matter, amygdala-hippocampus, and cerebellum. No consistent signature effect of human milk exposure was found; instead, the beneficial associations were regional and tissue-specific neuroprotective effects on the areas of known vulnerability in the preterm infant. Implications: Evidence to date suggests that human milk may protect the preterm infant from the white matter injury and dysmaturation to which this population is vulnerable. Brain MRI at term equivalent age is emerging as a useful tool to investigate the effects of human milk on the preterm brain. When grounded in neurobiological knowledge about preterm brain injury and development, this approach holds promise for allowing further insight into the mechanisms and pathways underlying beneficial associations of human milk with neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population and in the investigation of specific milk bioactive components with neuroprotective or neurorestorative potential. Keywords: brain development; dysmaturation; human milk; preterm infants; white matter injury."
Abstract only: https://www.clinicaltherapeutics.com/article/S0149-2918(22)00081-9/fulltext