Human Milk Comparative Lipidomic Study From Different Gestation Age and Lactation Stages

Abstract Objectives Human milk (HM) lipids constitute the primary constituents of HM. Studies are starting to emerge about the lipid components of HM and how they relate to outcomes. We assessed the lipid differences between preterm and term HM and predicted the prospective impacts of these lipids on the development of neonates, especially focused on their immune modulatory and anti-infective effects. Methods Using an LC-MS/MS metabolomics strategy, we studied HM samples collected from 113 mothers giving birth prematurely (<28 weeks, 12; ≥28 weeks and <32 weeks, 47; ≥32 weeks ∼ <37 weeks 54, respectively) and 55 mothers delivering at term (≥37 weeks) from colostrum to mature milk. Results We found that the lipid composition of preterm HM deviates significantly from the term HM lipid profile, in particular with the colostrum. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were significantly increased in preterm HM, while sphingomyelin, glycerophosphoethanoloamines analogues, TAG (14:0/18:2/18:3), PE (17:2/22:6) and Cer/NS (d22:3/18:1) were markedly decreased in preterm human milk (p < 0.05). Pathway analysis revealed that these dysregulated lipids are closely associated with Reelin signaling in neurons, glycerophospholipid metabolism and LXR/RXR activation. Conclusions Further studies should further elucidate the detailed biomechanism of these dysregulated lipids. Funding Sources This work was supported by the Young Clinical Scientist Program of Fudan Academy of Pediatrics (grant no. EK112520180307).