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Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Role in Infant Health

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Nutrition in Infancy

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

Human breast milk is widely considered the optimal nutrition for the newborn infant. Aside from providing the neonate with the nutritional needs for growth and development, breast milk also contains a plethora of bioactive factors that promote health and offer protection from infections. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), unconjugated, complex carbohydrates, are present in human milk at 10–20 g/L, a concentration only surpassed by lactose (Lac) and lipids, and often higher than that of total protein. Bovine milk, the basis of most infant formula, is a scarce source of oligosaccharides, which are also structurally different and less complex. High abundance and structural complexity of HMO are unique to human milk, raising questions about their biological roles and potential benefits for the human infant.

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Abbreviations

2′ FL:

2′-Fucosyllactose

3′ SL:

3′-Sialyllactose

3FL:

3-Fucosyllactose

6′ SL:

6′-Sialyllactose

BMO:

Bovine milk oligosaccharides

DSLNT:

Disialyllacto-N-tetraose

FOS:

Fructooligosaccharides

Fruc:

Fructose

Fuc:

Fucose

Gal:

Galactose

Glc:

Glucose

GlcNAc:

N-acetylglucosamine

GOS:

Galactooligosaccharides

HMO:

Human milk oligosaccharides

Lac:

Lactose

LNFP1,2:

Lacto-N-fucopentaose 1,2

LNnT:

Lacto-N-neotetraose

LNT:

Lacto-N-tetraose

NEC:

Necrotizing enterocolitis

Neu5Ac:

N-actetylneuraminic acid

Neu5Gc:

N-glycolylneuraminic acid

PNC:

Platelet-neutrophil complex

Sia:

Sialic acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Divisions of Neonatology and Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Evelyn Jantscher-Krenn & Lars Bode

Authors
  1. Evelyn Jantscher-Krenn
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  2. Lars Bode
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Correspondence to Lars Bode .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Arizona Health Science Center, Mel and Enid Zuckerman, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin, Tucson, 85724-5155, Arizona, USA

    Ronald Ross Watson

  2. Centre for Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom

    George Grimble

  3. Dept. Nutrition & Dietetics, King's College, Stamford St. 150, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  4. Division of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Avenue, Tucson, 85724, Arizona, USA

    Sherma Zibadi

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Jantscher-Krenn, E., Bode, L. (2013). Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Role in Infant Health. In: Watson, R., Grimble, G., Preedy, V., Zibadi, S. (eds) Nutrition in Infancy. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-224-7_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-224-7_14

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