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. 2020 Aug 7:8:428.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.00428. eCollection 2020.

Changes in Human Milk Immunoglobulin Profile During Prolonged Lactation

Affiliations

Changes in Human Milk Immunoglobulin Profile During Prolonged Lactation

Matylda Czosnykowska-Łukacka et al. Front Pediatr. .

Abstract

Mother's milk immunoglobulins (Igs) delivered to infants during breastfeeding are crucial in shaping and modulating immature infants' immune system and provide efficient protection against pathogens. The aim of the study was to evaluate the immunoglobulin concentrations in milk of 116 lactating mothers over prolonged lactation from the 1st to the 48th month using the ELISA method. The concentration of proteins, SIgA and IgG, but not IgM, showed a positive correlation (r = 0.69, p < 0.005; r = 0.54, p < 0.05; and r = 0.27, p < 0.05, respectively) with lactation from the 1st to the 48th month. The lowest concentrations of SIgA and IgG were observed for the first year (2.12 ± 0.62 g/L and 14.71 ± 6.18 mg/L, respectively) and the highest after the 2nd year of lactation (7.55 ± 7.16 g/L and 18.95 ± 6.76 mg/L, respectively). The IgM concentration remained stable during 2 years (2.81 ± 2.74 mg/L), but after 24 months it was higher (3.82 ± 3.05 mg/L), although not significantly. Moreover, negative correlations of protein (r = -0.24, p < 0.05) and SIgA (r = -0.47, p < 0.05) concentrations with the number of feedings were found. Human milk after the 2nd year of lactation contains significantly higher concentrations of protein, SIgA, and IgG. High concentration of immunoglobulins and protein during prolonged lactation is an additional argument to support breastfeeding even after introducing solid foods and should be one of the overarching goals in the protection of children's health.

Keywords: breastfeeding; child nutrition; human milk; immunoglobulins; prolonged lactation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Concentration of protein (A), SIgA (B), IgG (C), and IgM (D) in skim milk in prolonged lactation up to 48 months. A solid line indicates linear regression, and 95% confidence intervals are shown by dotted lines; blue circles refer to individual samples. The correlation coefficient (r) was calculated according to Spearman, and a p-value lower than 0.05 was regarded as significant. The r-square value is the square of the correlation coefficient. NS, not significant.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The ratio of skim milk SIgA (A), IgG (C), and IgM (E) to the protein concentration in the four groups analyzed: group 1, up to 12 months (N = 26); group 2, from 13 to 18 months (N = 35); group 3, from 19 to 24 months (N = 32); and group 4, over 24 months (N = 23), and correlation of Igs/protein ratio with 48 months of lactation: (B) SIgA/protein, (D) IgG/protein, and (F) IgM/protein. For (B,D,F), a solid line indicates linear regression, and 95% confidence intervals are shown by dotted lines; blue circles refer to individual samples. For (A,C,E), symbols: median (■), 25–75% (□), min–max (I), sample (□), and mean (*).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between concentration of protein (A), SIgA (B), IgG (C), and IgM (D) and the number of feedings of mother's milk. A solid line indicates linear regression, and 95% confidence intervals are shown by dotted lines; blue circles refer to individual samples. NS, not significant.

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