Human milk lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations vary in response to a dietary intervention

Azhar S Sindi; Lisa F Stinson; Ching Tat Lai; Zoya Gridneva; Gabriela E Leghi; Merryn J Netting; Mary E Wlodek; Beverly S Muhlhausler; Xiaojie Zhou; Matthew S Payne; Donna T Geddes

doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109760

Human milk lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations vary in response to a dietary intervention

J Nutr Biochem. 2025 Jan:135:109760. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109760. Epub 2024 Sep 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia; College of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia; ABREAST Network, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; UWA Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
² ABREAST Network, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; UWA Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
³ School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia.
⁴ Women and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, South Australia, Australia; Discipline of Paediatrics, The University of Adelaide, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁵ School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
⁶ School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia; CSIRO, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁷ Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
⁸ ABREAST Network, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; UWA Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: donna.geddes@uwa.edu.au.

PMID: 39251146
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109760

Abstract

It is known that human milk (HM)¹ antimicrobial protein composition varies during lactation. However, the impact of maternal diet on these antimicrobial proteins, particularly lactoferrin and lysozyme remains unknown. In addition, it is unclear whether daily, circadian, and between breast variations exist for lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations. We investigated the impact of a low sugar, low fat, high fibre dietary intervention on HM lysozyme and lactoferrin concentrations. HM was sampled across a 3-week period; daily, at different times of day, and from both breasts to measure the level of intraindividual variation. The intervention significantly reduced maternal sugar, total fat, and saturated fat intake. HM lactoferrin concentration declined significantly over the course of the intervention however the effect size was relatively small. In addition, lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations were variable over time, and differed significantly within and across the day but not between breasts.

Keywords: Antimicrobial peptides; Breastfeeding; Lactoferrin; Lysozyme; Maternal diet.

MeSH terms

Adult
Diet
Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted
Dietary Fats
Female
Humans
Lactation
Lactoferrin*
Milk, Human* / chemistry
Milk, Human* / metabolism
Muramidase* / metabolism

Substances

Lactoferrin
Muramidase
Dietary Fats