Dietary modulation of human milk bioactives is associated with maternal FUT2 secretor phenotype: An exploratory analysis of carotenoids and polyphenol metabolites

Authors: FIECKE, CHELSEY - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); CRIMMINS, MEGHAN - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); HAMEED, AHSAN - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); SIMS, CLARK - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); WILLIAMS, D. KEITH - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); BODE, LARS - University Of California, San Diego; MARTINEZ, AUDREY - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); FERRUZZI, MARIO - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Frontiers in Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2024
Publication Date: 10/8/2024
Citation: Fiecke, C., Crimmins, M., Hameed, A., Sims, C., Williams, D., Bode, L., Martinez, A., Andres, A., Ferruzzi, M. 2024. Dietary modulation of human milk bioactives is associated with maternal FUT2 secretor phenotype: An exploratory analysis of carotenoids and polyphenol metabolites. Frontiers in Nutrition. 11(2024):Article 1463969. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1463969.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1463969

Interpretive Summary: This study investigated the relationship between maternal secretor status and the effects of maternal diet on carotenoids, polyphenols, and oligosaccharides in human milk. A total of 16 women with obesity who were breastfeeding participated. Differences in the effect of maternal diet was on concentrations of certain polyphenols and oligosaccharides in human milk were associated with maternal secretor status. Associations between specific polyphenols and oligosaccharides in human milk were found only in women classified as secretors. This study supports the need to consider both dietary and non-dietary factors to evaluate the effects of maternal diet and bioactive components in human milk.

Technical Abstract: Introduction: Maternal diet modifies profiles of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), carotenoids, and polyphenols in human milk (HM). However, substantial variability in profiles exists between women, highlighting the complexity of non-dietary factors modulating these profiles. The objective of this study was to carry out a secondary analysis exploring the effect of maternal diet on HM carotenoids and polyphenols and relationships between dietary modulation of HM bioactives (carotenoids, polyphenols, oligosaccharides) and maternal a1,2-fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) secretor phenotype. Methods: In this pilot study, 16 exclusively breastfeeding women with obesity were enrolled between 4 and 5 months postpartum. The women were provided a 4-week meal plan consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). HM was collected for 24 hr at baseline and post-intervention. Maternal FUT2 secretor phenotype was determined by 2’-fucosyllactose concentration in HM (non-secretor: < 100 nmol/ml; secretor: >100 nmol/ml). Concentrations of carotenoids and HMOs were determined by LC and polyphenol metabolites by UPLC-MS/MS. Results: Thirteen women completed the study (6 secretors, 7 non-secretors). The change in HM concentrations of the HMOs lacto-N-tetraose (LNT, p = 0.007), lacto-N-fucopentaose II (LNFP II, p = 0.02), difucosyllacto-N-tetraose (DFLNT, p = 0.003), and disialyllacto-N-tetraose (DSLNT, p = 0.003) and polyphenol metabolites 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA, p = 0.08) and ferulic acid (p = 0.02) over the intervention time frame was differentially associated with maternal secretor status. 4-HBA and ferulic acid positively correlated with HMOs LNT and DSLNT (r = 0.82-0.90, p = 0.03-0.06) for secretors but not for non-secretors. Only secretors demonstrated a negative correlation between 4-HBA and DFLNT (r = -0.94, p = 0.001). Discussion: The influence of maternal diet on composition of HMOs and polyphenol metabolites in HM differs based on maternal secretor status. Consideration of non-dietary factors is needed to evaluate differences in response of HM bioactives to dietary modulation.