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Characterization of Transforming growth factor (TGF‐β) in human milk among US and Mexican mothers
Author(s) -
Rosales Francisco Jose,
McMahon Robert J,
Ferguson Paul W,
Morrow Ardythe L,
Jouni Zeina E
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.344.2
Subject(s) - lactation , breast milk , zoology , breastfeeding , medicine , transforming growth factor , human breast milk , physiology , biology , demography , pregnancy , endocrinology , pediatrics , biochemistry , genetics , sociology
Human milk TGF‐β plays an important role in maintaining appropriate immune function in infants. We assessed its morphology and ontogeny during lactation in milks from geographically different populations. Milk samples from three cohorts, each of 20 clinically healthy mothers delivering term babies: donors from the Cincinnati, OH, donated during 2005 ‐07 while donors from Mexico City donated during 2006‐07. The entire content of one breast was collected between 9‐12 am over the first 26 weeks postpartum. TGF‐β1 and β2 were determined using a commercially available ELISA kit (Qunatikine®) validated for its use in human milk, and total protein concentration (PROT) by Commassie Plus. Most TGF‐β (>90%) was in a latent form and ‐b2 was 5 to10‐fold higher than ‐b1, irrespective of lactation period and sampled region. TGF‐β (‐β1 + ‐β2) concentrations were positively skewed with high variability within and between mothers (figure), which was not explained by clinical status, PROT, lactation period or sampled region. A geometric‐mean and variance were calculated for each of the 13 times and locations, from which a grand geometric‐mean was calculated, 2,700 pg/ml. These results suggest that if an infant consumes 750 ml of milk daily his/her total TGF‐β intake would range from 0.4 to 9.8μg/day. TGFb concentrations in human milk * C= Cincinnati 2005‐06; M= Mexico City 2006‐07, & U= Cincinnati 2006‐07.