title: Dietary nucleotide effects upon immune function in infants.
abstract: Nucleotide (NT) nitrogen, a component of nonprotein nitrogen, accounts for approximately 0.1% to 0.15% of the total nitrogen content of human milk. The results of studies in animals indicate that dietary NTs may be required for maintenance of normal immune function. Thirty-seven healthy term infants were either breast-fed (n = 9) or fed SMA formula supplemented with 33 mg of NTs per liter (n = 13, NT+) or standard SMA formula (n = 15; NT-). At 2 months of age, natural killer cell percent cytotoxicity was significantly higher in the breast-fed and NT+ groups compared with the NT- group (41.7 +/- 4.7, 32.2 +/- 3.4, 21.7 +/- 2.2%, respectively). Interleukin-2 production by stimulated mononuclear cells was higher in the NT+ compared with the NT- group at 2 months of age (0.90 +/- 0.28 U/mL, 0.27 +/- 0.11 U/mL, respectively); neither formula-fed group differed significantly from the breast-fed group. Rate of growth and incidence and severity of infections did not differ significantly among dietary groups. Nucleotides may be a component of human milk that contributes to the enhanced immunity of the breast-fed infant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa 33612-4799.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Carver
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Barness
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D009711:Nucleotides; D009584:Nitrogen