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The immunological cellular and biochemical contents of breastmilk respond to maternal or infant infections
Author(s) -
Hassiotou Foteini,
Metzger Philipp,
Trengove Naomi,
Lai Ching Tat,
Hartmann Peter,
Filgueira Luis
Publication year - 2012
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.26.1_supplement.390.1
Subject(s) - lactoferrin , immune system , immunology , lactation , weaning , medicine , flow cytometry , breastfeeding , antibody , biology , pregnancy , pediatrics , genetics
Breastmilk contains immunological components that protect the infant. Among those, leukocytes have been variably present in breastmilk. To examine whether this variability may be related to the health status of the mother/infant dyad, mature breastmilk was collected from 20 dyads longitudinally, while they were healthy and while they had an infection. Leukocyte content was measured by flow cytometry via the pan‐leukocyte marker CD45. Breastmilk from healthy dyads had 0–1.5% of leukocytes (0–1,365 immune cells/mL breastmilk). During an infection of the mother and/or the infant, leukocyte content increased to up to 94% of total cells (2,594,982 leukocytes/mL breastmilk), with the majority of leukocytes being activated T‐cells that responded to viral peptides if stimulated in vitro, with corresponding proliferation and cytokine secretion. Interestingly, leukocyte content returned to baseline levels (≤1.5%) upon recovery from the infection. Similar responses were observed for immunoglobulins and lactoferrin. Despite their higher concentrations in mothers weaning or very late into lactation, leukocyte content remained low (0–1.5%) under healthy conditions. It is concluded that infection induces a rapid mechanism of leukocyte movement into breastmilk, followed by a biochemical response. Unless induced by infection, leukocytes are either absent or present in very small amounts in mature breastmilk. Grant Funding Source : Women and Infants Research Foundation, Medela AG