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Breastmilk for Healthy Development
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Breastmilk for Healthy Development

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2024 | Viewed by 9494

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Monika Zielińska-Pukos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW-WULS), 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: maternal nutrition; infant nutrition; breastfeeding; breastmilk composition; infant development; bioactive compounds
Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Hamułka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW-WULS), 166 Nowoursynowska Street, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: nutrition during pregnancy and lactation; children nutrition; dietary habits; nutrition and cognitive functions; infant development; bioactive compounds; dietary supplements; diet-related chronic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is well known that breastfeeding supports the optimal growth and development of infants and protects against the development of non-communicable and infectious diseases, overweight, and obesity across the lifespan. Often, those benefits increase with breastfeeding duration and exclusivity, as a consequence of higher exposure to breastmilk which contains all the essential nutrients and a variety of bioactive compounds, including hormones, growth factors, mRNA, and immunoglobins. Moreover, a growing body of evidence shows that breastmilk composition changes dynamically across the lactation period and each infant–mother dyad has a unique breastmilk composition that explains the effects of lactational programming.

We invite publications in the area of Breastmilk for Healthy Development, covering (but not limited to) the following topics:

  1. Breastmilk composition with a special focus on bioactive components.
  2. Factors affecting breastmilk composition, including the influence of expressing, handling, and storing expressed milk.
  3. The role of breastmilk in supporting optimal growth, development, and shaping health across the lifespan.
  4. The interactions between psychosocial, environmental, and dietary factors, as well as breastmilk composition with possible impacts on infant health and development.
  5. The role of breastfeeding and breastmilk composition in shaping dietary habits and preferences.
  6. Results of in vitro and in vivo studies exploring breastmilk components and their physiological function.

This Special Issue aims to welcome original studies, literature reviews, and meta-analyses exploring the composition and biological role of breastmilk.

Dr. Monika Zielińska-Pukos
Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Hamułka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • breastfeeding
  • lactation
  • breastmilk composition
  • determinants of breastmilk composition
  • maternal nutrition
  • donor milk
  • microbiota
  • nutritional programming
  • Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD)
  • growth and body composition
  • neurodevelopment
  • preterm infants
  • dietary habits

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3416 KiB  
Article
Lactoferrin Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Protects Adult Male Rat Offspring from Hypertension Induced by Maternal Adenine Diet
by You-Lin Tain, Chih-Yao Hou, Wei-Ling Chen, Wei-Ting Liao and Chien-Ning Hsu
Nutrients 2024, 16(16), 2607; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16162607 - 8 Aug 2024
Viewed by 666
Abstract
Lactoferrin, a glycoprotein derived from breastmilk, is recognized for its health benefits in infants and children; however, its protective effects when administered during gestation and lactation against offspring hypertension remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether maternal lactoferrin supplementation could prevent hypertension [...] Read more.
Lactoferrin, a glycoprotein derived from breastmilk, is recognized for its health benefits in infants and children; however, its protective effects when administered during gestation and lactation against offspring hypertension remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether maternal lactoferrin supplementation could prevent hypertension in offspring born to mothers with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a focus on nitric oxide (NO), renin–angiotensin system (RAS) regulation, and alterations in gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Prior to pregnancy, female rats were subjected to a 0.5% adenine diet for 3 weeks to induce CKD. During pregnancy and lactation, pregnant rats received one of four diets: normal chow, 0.5% adenine diet, 10% lactoferrin diet, or adenine diet supplemented with lactoferrin. Male offspring were euthanized at 12 weeks of age (n = 8 per group). Supplementation with lactoferrin during gestation and lactation prevented hypertension in adult offspring induced by a maternal adenine diet. The maternal adenine diet caused a decrease in the index of NO availability, which was restored by 67% with maternal LF supplementation. Additionally, LF was related to the regulation of the RAS, as evidenced by a reduced renal expression of renin and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor. Combined maternal adenine and LF diets altered beta diversity, shifted the offspring’s gut microbiota, decreased propionate levels, and reduced the renal expression of SCFA receptors. The beneficial effects of lactoferrin are likely mediated through enhanced NO availability, rebalancing the RAS, and alterations in gut microbiota composition and SCFAs. Our findings suggest that maternal lactoferrin supplementation improves hypertension in offspring in a model of adenine-induced CKD, bringing us closer to potentially translating lactoferrin supplementation clinically for children born to mothers with CKD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breastmilk for Healthy Development)
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19 pages, 4245 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Human Milk Microbiota in Northern Greece by Comparative 16S rRNA Sequencing vs. Local Dairy Animals
by Margaritis Tsifintaris, Michail Sitmalidis, Maria Tokamani, Christina Anastasiadi, Maria Georganta, Ilias Tsochantaridis, Dimitrios Vlachakis, Panagiotis Tsikouras, Nikolaos Nikolettos, George P. Chrousos, Raphael Sandaltzopoulos and Antonis Giannakakis
Nutrients 2024, 16(14), 2175; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142175 - 9 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1488
Abstract
Milk is a biological fluid with a dynamic composition of micronutrients and bioactive molecules that serves as a vital nutrient source for infants. Milk composition is affected by multiple factors, including genetics, geographical location, environmental conditions, lactation phase, and maternal nutrition, and plays [...] Read more.
Milk is a biological fluid with a dynamic composition of micronutrients and bioactive molecules that serves as a vital nutrient source for infants. Milk composition is affected by multiple factors, including genetics, geographical location, environmental conditions, lactation phase, and maternal nutrition, and plays a key role in dictating its microbiome. This study addresses a less-explored aspect, comparing the microbial communities in human breast milk with those in mature milk from species that are used for milk consumption. Since mature animal milk is used as a supplement for both the infant (formula) and the child/adolescent, our main aim was to identify shared microbial communities in colostrum and mature human milk. Using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing, we focused on characterizing the milk microbiota in the Northern Greek population by identifying shared microbial communities across samples and comparing the relative abundance of prevalent genera. We analyzed ten human milk samples (from five mothers), with five collected three days postpartum (colostrum) and five collected thirty to forty days postpartum (mature milk) from corresponding mothers. To perform an interspecies comparison of human milk microbiota, we analyzed five goat and five bovine milk samples from a local dairy industry, collected fifty to seventy days after birth. Alpha diversity analysis indicated moderate diversity and stability in bovine milk, high richness in goat milk, and constrained diversity in breast milk. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant distinctions among mammalian species, emphasizing both presence/absence and abundance-based clustering. Despite noticeable differences, shared microbial components underscore fundamental aspects across all mammalian species, highlighting the presence of a core microbiota predominantly comprising the Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteriota phyla. At the genus level, Acinetobacter, Gemella, and Sphingobium exhibit significant higher abundance in human milk compared to bovine and goat milk, while Pseudomonas and Atopostipes are more prevalent in animal milk. Our comparative analysis revealed differences and commonalities in the microbial communities of various mammalian milks and unraveled the existence of a common fundamental milk core microbiome. We thus revealed both species-specific and conserved microbial communities in human, bovine, and goat milk. The existence of a common core microbiome with conserved differences between colostrum and mature human milk underscores fundamental similarities in the microbiota of milk across mammalian species, which could offer valuable implications for optimizing the nutritional quality and safety of dairy products as well as supplements for infant health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breastmilk for Healthy Development)
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Review

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17 pages, 1104 KiB  
Review
Melatonin in Human Breast Milk and Its Potential Role in Circadian Entrainment: A Nod towards Chrononutrition?
by Silke Häusler, Emma Lanzinger, Elke Sams, Claudius Fazelnia, Kevin Allmer, Christoph Binder, Russel J. Reiter and Thomas K. Felder
Nutrients 2024, 16(10), 1422; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16101422 - 8 May 2024
Viewed by 2954
Abstract
Breastfeeding is the most appropriate source of a newborn’s nutrition; among the plethora of its benefits, its modulation of circadian rhythmicity with melatonin as a potential neuroendocrine transducer has gained increasing interest. Transplacental transfer assures melatonin provision for the fetus, who is devoid [...] Read more.
Breastfeeding is the most appropriate source of a newborn’s nutrition; among the plethora of its benefits, its modulation of circadian rhythmicity with melatonin as a potential neuroendocrine transducer has gained increasing interest. Transplacental transfer assures melatonin provision for the fetus, who is devoid of melatonin secretion. Even after birth, the neonatal pineal gland is not able to produce melatonin rhythmically for several months (with an even more prolonged deficiency following preterm birth). In this context, human breast milk constitutes the main natural source of melatonin: diurnal dynamic changes, an acrophase early after midnight, and changes in melatonin concentrations according to gestational age and during the different stages of lactation have been reported. Understudied thus far are the factors impacting on (changes in) melatonin content in human breast milk and their clinical significance in chronobiological adherence in the neonate: maternal as well as environmental aspects have to be investigated in more detail to guide nursing mothers in optimal feeding schedules which probably means a synchronized instead of mistimed feeding practice. This review aims to be thought-provoking regarding the critical role of melatonin in chrononutrition during breastfeeding, highlighting its potential in circadian entrainment and therefore optimizing (neuro)developmental outcomes in the neonatal setting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breastmilk for Healthy Development)
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39 pages, 1709 KiB  
Review
Human Milk Microbiome—A Review of Scientific Reports
by Agnieszka Dombrowska-Pali, Natalia Wiktorczyk-Kapischke, Agnieszka Chrustek, Dorota Olszewska-Słonina, Eugenia Gospodarek-Komkowska and Maciej W. Socha
Nutrients 2024, 16(10), 1420; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16101420 - 8 May 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1973
Abstract
One of the most important bioactive components of breast milk are free breast milk oligosaccharides, which are a source of energy for commensal intestinal microorganisms, stimulating the growth of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroides in a child’s digestive tract. There is some [...] Read more.
One of the most important bioactive components of breast milk are free breast milk oligosaccharides, which are a source of energy for commensal intestinal microorganisms, stimulating the growth of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroides in a child’s digestive tract. There is some evidence that maternal, perinatal, and environmental-cultural factors influence the modulation of the breast milk microbiome. This review summarizes research that has examined the composition of the breast milk microbiome and the factors that may influence it. The manuscript highlights the potential importance of the breast milk microbiome for the future development and health of children. The origin of bacteria in breast milk is thought to include the mother’s digestive tract (entero-mammary tract), bacterial exposure to the breast during breastfeeding, and the retrograde flow of breast milk from the infant’s mouth to the woman’s milk ducts. Unfortunately, despite increasingly more precise methods for assessing microorganisms in human milk, the topic of the human milk microbiome is still quite limited and requires scientific research that takes into account various conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breastmilk for Healthy Development)
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Other

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14 pages, 2151 KiB  
Systematic Review
Association of Fortification with Human Milk versus Bovine Milk-Based Fortifiers on Short-Term Outcomes in Preterm Infants—A Meta-Analysis
by Radu Galis, Paula Trif, Diana Mudura, Jan Mazela, Mandy C. Daly, Boris W. Kramer and Shivashankar Diggikar
Nutrients 2024, 16(6), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16060910 - 21 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1879
Abstract
This meta-analysis assessed short-term outcomes after using human milk-derived fortifiers (HMFs) compared with bovine milk fortifiers (BMFs) in preterm infants fed an exclusive human milk (HM) diet, either mother’s own milk (MOM) or donor human milk (DHM). We searched PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, [...] Read more.
This meta-analysis assessed short-term outcomes after using human milk-derived fortifiers (HMFs) compared with bovine milk fortifiers (BMFs) in preterm infants fed an exclusive human milk (HM) diet, either mother’s own milk (MOM) or donor human milk (DHM). We searched PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, CENTRAL and CINHAL between January 2015 and August 2023 for studies reporting outcomes in infants with ≤28 weeks gestation and/or birthweight ≤ 1500 g on an exclusive human milk diet fortified with HMF versus BMF. The primary outcomes were death and NEC (stage ≥ 2). Four studies with a total of 681 infants were included. Mortality was significantly lower in infants fed with an HM-HMFs diet (four studies, 681 infants; RR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.26–0.94; p = 0.03; I2 = 0%), NEC was similar between the two groups (four studies, 681 infants; RR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.20–1.17; p = 0.11; I2= 39%). BPD was higher in the HM-BMFs group (four studies, 663 infants; RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69–1.000; p = 0.05, I2 = 0%), although not statistically significant. No differences were found for sepsis (RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.66–1.42; p = 0.96; I2 = 26%) or combined ROP (four studies, 671 infants; RR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.53–1.07; p = 0.28; I2 = 69%). An HM-HMFs diet could possibly be associated with decreased mortality with no association with NEC, BPD, sepsis, or ROP. This meta-analysis was limited by the small number of studies included. However, the results should not be refuted for this reason as they provide an impetus for subsequent clinical trials to assess the observed associations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breastmilk for Healthy Development)
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