Biologic substances present in human colostrums
In: Handbook of dietary and nutritional aspects of human breast milkSearch for other papers by M. Musumeci in
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Colostrum is nowadays known to contain a large number of chemical substances that provide immune protection to suckling newborns and that may also promote the development of neonatal immune competence. The primary components, divided into two classes, include immune factors and growth factors. These specialized components participate to hormone-regulated events that prepare the breast to lactation and protect the mammary gland from pathogen colonization. In addition to the hormonal function, colostrum represents a source of essential substances, important for the development of infants such as lipids for the brain development, oligosaccharides for the development of intestinal flora to modulate the immune response, endorphin and S100B proteins to protect the infant during the postnatal adaptation. The study of this fascinating aspect of human nutrition has been developed only recently, considering the human milk as the gold standard to build new updated formulas. The opportunity to collect colostrums during the first three days from delivery in mothers living in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries of the Sub-Saharan area, gives us an instrument to trace the evolution of breast milk. Insulin growth factor and prolactin in colostrum of Sicilian mothers as compared to colostrum of African women are significantly different, explained by the necessity of newborn adaptation after intrauterine life. The endorphin levels were found elevated in African colostrum and correlated with the degree of asphyxia and difficulty in the delivery. This protection was also demonstrated by analyzing the oligosaccharides in the African colostrum which show a characteristic secretion of 2-fucosyl lactose earlier than that found in Sicilian colostrums. These studies confirmed that a genetic selection is operating in colostrum and provide evidence that the difference between Africa and Sicily is due to the needs of African newborns, born in precarious conditions of life.