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Variation of major neutral oligosaccharides levels in human colostrum

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 488–494 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives:

Human colostrum is known to be important for the protection of infants against infection by pathogenic microorganisms. This protection is thought to be due, partially, to various neutral and acidic oligosaccharides that are present in colostrum and milk. However, the concentrations of each of the oligosaccharide of human colostrum have not yet been determined. The aim of this present study was to determine the concentration of each of the major neutral oligosaccharide for three consecutive days from the start of lactation.

Method:

We analyzed the level of each neutral oligosaccharide in human colostrum, for three consecutive days from the start of lactation, obtained from 12 healthy Japanese women (ranging in age from 21 to 35 years; primipara 6 and multipara 6). The ABO blood groups of the donors were determined: A, three; B, three; O, five; AB, one. The determined human milk oligosaccharides were 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), lactodifucotetraose (LDFT), lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), three lacto-N-fucopentaose (LNFP I, II and III) and two lacto-N-difucohexaose (LNFDH I and II) using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with two derivatization techniques.

Results:

The concentrations of 2′-FL and LDFT in colostrum on day 1 were significantly higher than those on days 2 and 3 (P<0.05). An increase in LNT was observed on day 3 compared with day 1 (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

These changes in concentrations of 2’-FL, LDFT and LNT may reflect the requirements for prebiotics and anti-infection agents by human infants during early lactation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr T Tominaga, the head of Obihiro Daiichi Hospital, for supervising the collection of human colostrum. We thank Mr Fiame Leo of our laboratory for kind advice. This study was supported by a grant from the 21st Century COE Program (A-1), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan, and a grant-in-Aid from the Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (Research and Development Program for New Bio-industry Initiatives, Japan).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Food Hygiene, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan

    S Asakuma & T Urashima

  2. Department of Bio Resource Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan

    M Akahori, H Obayashi, T Nakamura & I Arai

  3. YAKULT Central Institute for Microbiological Research, Kunitachi, Tokyo, Japan

    K Kimura & Y Watanabe

  4. Keiai Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan

    Y Sanai

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  1. S Asakuma
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  2. T Urashima
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  4. H Obayashi
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Correspondence to T Urashima.

Additional information

Guarantors: S Asakuma and T Urashima. Contributors: SA and TU participated in study design, performed most of the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript. All authors participated in data collection and interpretation, and reviewing the manuscript.

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Asakuma, S., Urashima, T., Akahori, M. et al. Variation of major neutral oligosaccharides levels in human colostrum. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 488–494 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602738

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602738

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