Human milk glycosaminoglycans in feces of breastfed newborns: Preliminary structural elucidation and possible biological role

摘要

Dear Editor: Much evidence has been obtained that several human milk glycans (glycoproteins, glycolipids, and especially oligosaccharides), behaving as cell surface receptor homologs, are able to inhibit binding of pathogens and thus protect the newborn against several enteric infections. Moreover, recent studies have focused attention on human milk complex sul-fated polysaccharides, the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), as well as their structure and their possible biological roles. However, no data are yet available regarding the metabolic fate of GAGs and their possible presence in the feces of breastfed newborns or regarding their composition and structure, which would be useful to shed light on their metabolism.