Abstract
To date, absorption of macromolecules has been studied by measuring serum concentrations of heterologous food proteins. This means that phenomena like local intestinal and systemic immune responses must be considered when evaluating the results. To avoid these drawbacks we have developed a radioimmunological method for measuring serum concentrations of human α-lactalbumin (αLA).
We have analyzed serum samples from 25 healthy preterm infants fed human milk, gestational age was 26-32 weeks, birth weight <1500 g. Serum was collected at 2 and 4 weeks of age and at term. Results were expressed as μg αLA/l serum/l human milk given/kg body weight.
At 31 weeks of gestation the serum concentration of human αLA was about 10 times higher (mean value 838, n=8) than in the term infants aged 5-30 days (mean value 85, n=7). The serum concentrations of αLA decreased with increasing maturity and at 39 weeks the concentrations was about the same (mean value 118, n=4) as in term infants aged 5-30 days.
Increased absorption of macromolecules in neonates may be a naturally occurring event leading to a state of systemic tolerance to proteins in the normal food. However, an increased absorption of macromolecules acting as antigens may also be associated with a variety of diseases e.g. gastrointestinal allergy.
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I, A., I, J. MACROMOLECULAR ABSORPTION IN THE PRETERM INFANT. Pediatr Res 20, 689 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198607000-00023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198607000-00023