Oligosaccharides in Milk: Their Benefits and Future Utilization

The percentage of carbohydrate in the milk/colostrum of the mammalian is range from trace to over 10%, of which disaccharide lactose (Gal(β1-4)Glc) is usually constitutes the major part. Apart from the lactose (Gal(β1-4)Glc; Gal, D-galactose; Glc, D-glucose), the rest of carbohydrate components is composed of variety of sugars, commonly named as milk oligosaccharides. Human mature milk and colostrum contain 12 ~ 13 g/l and 22 ~ 24 g/l of oligosaccharides, respectively. In contrast, bovine colostrum contains more than 1 g/l oligosaccharides and this concentration rapidly decreases after 48 hr post partum. Most of human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are resistant to digestion and absorption within the small intestine. Therefore they can reach the infant colon, where they can act as prebiotics that stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms such as various species of Bifidobacterium. They can also act as receptor analogues that inhibit the attachment of pathogenic microorganisms to the infant's colonic mucosa. A small part of the milk oligosaccharides is absorbed intact into the circulation and it has been hypothesized that these may act as immunomodulators. Generally, the bovine milk oligosaccharides are believed not to be absorbed by human adults or infants, thus making them available to be utilized as prebiotics or anti-infection materials. The colostrum of cows and other domestic farm animals is a potential source of free oligosaccharides, and oligosaccharides isolated from these natural sources can be utilized as functional foods or animal feedstuffs on the industrial scale

Oligosaccharides in Milk: Their Benefits and Future Utilization

The percentage of carbohydrate in the milk/colostrum of the mammalian is range from trace to over 10%, of which disaccharide lactose (Gal(β1-4)Glc) is usually constitutes the major part. Apart from the lactose (Gal(β1-4)Glc; Gal, D-galactose; Glc, D-glucose), the rest of carbohydrate components is composed of variety of sugars, commonly named as milk oligosaccharides. Human mature milk and colostrum contain 12 ~ 13 g/l and 22 ~ 24 g/l of oligosaccharides, respectively. In contrast, bovine colostrum contains more than 1 g/l oligosaccharides and this concentration rapidly decreases after 48 hr post partum. Most of human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are resistant to digestion and absorption within the small intestine. Therefore they can reach the infant colon, where they can act as prebiotics that stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms such as various species of Bifidobacterium. They can also act as receptor analogues that inhibit the attachment of pathogenic microorganisms to the infant's colonic mucosa. A small part of the milk oligosaccharides is absorbed intact into the circulation and it has been hypothesized that these may act as immunomodulators. Generally, the bovine milk oligosaccharides are believed not to be absorbed by human adults or infants, thus making them available to be utilized as prebiotics or anti-infection materials. The colostrum of cows and other domestic farm animals is a potential source of free oligosaccharides, and oligosaccharides isolated from these natural sources can be utilized as functional foods or animal feedstuffs on the industrial scale

Chemical characterization of oligosaccharides in the milk of six species of New and Old world monkeys

Human and great ape milks contain a diverse array of milk oligosaccharides, but little is known about the milk oligosaccharides of other primates, and how they differ among taxa. Neutral and acidic oligosaccharides were isolated from the milk of three species of Old World or catarrhine monkeys (Cercopithecidae: rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), toque macaque (Macaca sinica) and Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas)) and three of New World or platyrrhine monkeys (Cebidae: tufted capuchin (Cebus apella) and Bolivian squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis); Atelidae: mantled howler (Alouatta palliata)). The milks of these species contained 6–8% total sugar, most of which was lactose: the estimated ratio of oligosaccharides to lactose in Old World monkeys (1:4 to 1:6) was greater than in New World monkeys (1:12 to 1:23). The chemical structures of the oligosaccharides were determined mainly by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Oligosaccharides containing the type II unit (Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc) were found in the milk of the rhesus macaque, toque macaque, Hamadryas baboon and tufted capuchin, but oligosaccharides containing the type I unit (Gal(β1-3)GlcNAc), which have been found in human and many great ape milks, were absent from the milk of all species studied. Oligosaccharides containing Lewis x (Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc) and 3-fucosyl lactose (3-FL, Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]Glc) were found in the milk of the three cercopithecid monkey species, while 2-fucosyl lactose (5'-FL, Fuc(α1-2)Gal(β1-4)Glc) was absent from all species studied. All of these milks contained acidic oligosaccharides that had N-acetylneuraminic acid as part of their structures, but did not contain oligosaccharides that had N-glycolylneuraminic acid, in contrast to the milk or colostrum of great apes which contain both types of acidic oligosaccharides. Two GalNAc-containing oligosaccharides, lactose 3′-O-sulfate and lacto-N-novopentaose I (Gal(β1-3)[Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-6)]Gal(β1-4)Glc) were found only in the milk of rhesus macaque, hamadryas baboon and tufted capuchin, respectively. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which the milk oligosaccharide patterns observed among these taxa represent wider phylogenetic trends among primates and how much variation occurs among individuals or species

Restoration of p16INK4A protein induces myogenic differentiation in RD rhabdomyosarcoma cells

p16INK4A (p16) tumour suppressor induces growth arrest by inhibiting function of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4 and CDK6. Homozygous p16 gene deletion is frequent in primary rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cells as well as derived cell lines. To confirm the significance of p16 gene deletion in tumour biology of RMS, a temperature-sensitive p16 mutant (E119G) gene was retrovirally transfected into the human RMS cell line RD, which has homozygous gene deletion of p16 gene. Decrease from 40°C (restrictive) to 34°C (permissive) culture temperature reduced CDK6-associated kinase activity and induced G1 growth arrest. Moreover, RD-p16 cells cultured under permissive condition demonstrated differentiated morphology coupled with expressions of myogenin and myosin light chain. These suggest that deletion of p16 gene may not only facilitate growth but also inhibit the myogenic differentiation of RD RMS cells. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Chemical structures of oligosaccharides in milks of the American black bear (Ursus americanus americanus) and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

The milk oligosaccharides were studied for two species of the Carnivora: the American black bear (Ursus americanus, family Ursidae, Caniformia), and the cheetah, (Acinonyx jubatus, family Felidae, Feliformia). Lactose was the most dominant saccharide in cheetah milk, while this was a minor saccharide and milk oligosaccharides predominated over lactose in American black bear milk. The structures of 8 neutral saccharides from American black bear milk were found to be Gal(β1-4)Glc (lactose), Fuc(α1-2)Gal(β1-4)Glc (2’-fucosyllactose), Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (isoglobotriose), Gal(α1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)]Gal(β1-4)Glc (B-tetrasaccharide), Gal(α1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)]Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]Glc (B-pentasaccharide), Fuc(α1-2)Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc(β1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (difucosyl lacto-N-neotetraose), Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc(β1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (monogalactosyl monofucosyl lacto-N-neotetraose) and Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc. Structures of 5 acidic saccharides were also identified in black bear milk: Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (3’-sialyllactose), Neu5Ac(α2-6)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-6)]Gal(β1-4)Glc (monosialyl monofucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose), Neu5Ac(α2-6)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3)[Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-6)]Gal(β1-4)Glc (monosialyl monogalactosyl lacto-N-neohexaose), Neu5Ac(α2-6)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3){Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc(β1-6)}Gal(β1-4)Glc (monosialyl monogalactosyl monofucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose), and Neu5Ac(α2-6)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3){Gal(α1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)]Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc(β1-6)}Gal(β1-4)Glc (monosialyl monogalactosyl difucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose). A notable feature of some of these milk oligosaccharides is the presence of B-antigen (Gal(α1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)]Gal), α-Gal epitope (Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc(NAc)) and Lewis x (Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc) structures within oligosaccharides. By comparison to American black bear milk, cheetah milk had a much smaller array of oligosaccharides. Two cheetah milks contained Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (isoglobotriose), while another cheetah milk did not, but contained Gal(β1-6)Gal(β1-4)Glc (6’-galactosyllactose) and Gal(β1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (3’-galactosyllactose). Two cheetah milks contained Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3)[Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-6)]Gal(β1-4)Glc (lacto-N-neohexaose), and one cheetah milk contained Gal(β1-4)Glc-3’-O-sulfate. Neu5Ac(α2-8)Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (disialyllactose) was the only sialyl oligosaccharide identified in cheetah milk. The heterogeneity of milk oligosaccharides was found between both species with respect of the presence/absence of B-antigen and Lewis x. The variety of milk oligosaccharides was much greater in the American black bear than in the cheetah. The ratio of milk oligosaccharides-to-lactose was lower in cheetah (1:1-1:2) than American black bear (21:1) which is likely a reflection of the requirement for a dietary supply of N-acetyl neuraminic acid (sialic acid), in altricial ursids compared to more precocial felids, given the role of these oligosaccharides in the synthesis of brain gangliosides and the polysialic chains on neural cell adhesion

Self-organising Thermoregulatory Huddling in a Model of Soft Deformable Littermates

Thermoregulatory huddling behaviours dominate the early experiences of developing rodents, and constrain the patterns of sensory and motor input that drive neural plasticity. Huddling is a complex emergent group behaviour, thought to provide an early template for the development of adult social systems, and to constrain natural selection on metabolic physiology. However, huddling behaviours are governed by simple rules of interaction between individuals, which can be described in terms of the thermodynamics of heat exchange, and can be easily controlled by manipulation of the environment temperature. Thermoregulatory huddling thus provides an opportunity to investigate the effects of early experience on brain development in a social, developmental, and evolutionary context, through controlled experimentation. This paper demonstrates that thermoregulatory huddling behaviours can self-organise in a simulation of rodent littermates modelled as soft-deformable bodies that exchange heat during contact. The paper presents a novel methodology, based on techniques in computer animation, for simulating the early sensory and motor experiences of the developing rodent

Lack of functional alpha-lactalbumin prevents involution in Cape fur seals and identifies the protein as an apoptotic milk factor in mammary gland involution

The mammary gland undergoes a sophisticated programme of developmental changes during pregnancy/lactation. However, little is known about processes involving initiation of apoptosis at involution following weaning. We used fur seals as models to study the molecular process of involution as these animals display a unique mammary gland phenotype. Fur seals have long lactation periods whereby mothers cycle between secreting copious quantities of milk for 2 to 3 days suckling pups on land, with trips to sea alone to forage for up to 23 days during which time mammary glands remain active without initiating apoptosis/involution.<br /

Situação epidemiológica e a relação com variáveis meteorológicas da HFMD em Guangzhou, sul da China, 2008-2012

A doença de mão-pé-e-boca (HFMD) está se tornando doença extremamente comum transmitida pelo ar e contato em Guangzhou, sul da China, levando preocupação às autoridades de saúde pública acerca da sua incidência aumentada. Neste estudo foi usada parte ecológica e regressão binomial negativa para identificar o status epidêmico da HFMD e sua relação com variáveis meteorológicas. Durante 2008-2012 um total de 173.524 casos confirmados de HFMD foram apresentados, 12 com morte, elevando o índice de fatalidade a 0,69 por 10.000. As incidências anuais de 2008 a 2010 foram 60,56, 132,44, 311,40, 402,76 e 468,59 por 100.000, respectivamente, mostrando tendência de rápido aumento. Cada 1 °C de aumento da temperatura correspondeu a aumento de 9,47% (95% CI 9,36% a 9,58%) no número semanal de casos de HFMD, enquanto a 1 hPa de aumento da pressão atmosférica correspondeu a decréscimo no número de casos de 7,53% (95% CI - 7,60% a - 7,45%). De maneira semelhante cada aumento de 1% na humidade relativa correspondeu a aumento de 1,48% ou 3,3% e a um aumento de 1 metro por hora na velocidade do vento correspondeu a um aumento de 2,18% ou 4,57%, no número de casos semanais de HFMD, dependendo das variáveis consideradas no modelo. Estes achados revelaram que o status epidêmico do HFMD em Guangzhou é caracterizado por alta morbidade, mas baixa fatalidade. Fatores referentes ao tempo tiveram influência significante na incidência do HFMD.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is becoming one of the extremely common airborne and contact transmission diseases in Guangzhou, southern China, leading public health authorities to be concerned about its increased incidence. In this study, it was used an ecological study plus the negative binomial regression to identify the epidemic status of HFMD and its relationship with meteorological variables. During 2008-2012, a total of 173,524 HFMD confirmed cases were reported, 12 cases of death, yielding a fatality rate of 0.69 per 10,000. The annual incidence rates from 2008 to 2012 were 60.56, 132.44, 311.40, 402.76, and 468.59 (per 100,000), respectively, showing a rapid increasing trend. Each 1 °C rise in temperature corresponded to an increase of 9.47% (95% CI 9.36% to 9.58%) in the weekly number of HFMD cases, while a one hPa rise in atmospheric pressure corresponded to a decrease in the number of cases by 7.53% (95% CI -7.60% to -7.45%). Similarly, each one percent rise in relative humidity corresponded to an increase of 1.48% or 3.3%, and a one meter per hour rise in wind speed corresponded to an increase of 2.18% or 4.57%, in the weekly number of HFMD cases, depending on the variables considered in the model. These findings revealed that epidemic status of HFMD in Guangzhou is characterized by high morbidity but low fatality. Weather factors had a significant influence on the incidence of HFMD