Brain ganglioside and glycoprotein sialic acid in breastfed compared with formula-fed infants.
BACKGROUND
The concentration of sialic acid in brain gangliosides and glycoproteins has been linked to learning ability in animal studies. Human milk is a rich source of sialic acid-containing oligosaccharides and is a potential source of exogenous sialic acid.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to compare the sialic acid concentration in the brain frontal cortex of breastfed and formula-fed infants.


METHODS
Twenty-five samples of frontal cortex derived from infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome were analyzed. Twelve infants were breastfed, 10 infants were formula-fed, and 1 infant was mixed-fed; the feeding status of the remaining 2 infants was unknown. Ganglioside-bound and protein-bound sialic acid were determined by HPLC. Ganglioside ceramide fatty acids were also analyzed to determine the relation between sialic acid and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.


RESULTS
After adjustment for sex with age at death as a covariate, ganglioside-bound and protein-bound sialic acid concentrations were 32% and 22% higher, respectively, in the frontal cortex gray matter of breastfed infants than in that of formula-fed infants (P < 0.01). Protein-bound sialic acid increased with age in both groups (P = 0.02). In breastfed but not in formula-fed infants, ganglioside-bound sialic acid correlated significantly with ganglioside ceramide docosahexaenoic acid and total n-3 fatty acids.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher brain ganglioside and glycoprotein sialic acid concentrations in infants fed human milk suggests increased synaptogenesis and differences in neurodevelopment.
Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Bing
B
Wang
Patricia
P
McVeagh
Peter
P
Petocz
Jennie
J
Brand-Miller
D000375:Aging; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002518:Ceramides / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000737:chemistry*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013398:Sudden Infant Death
D002518:Ceramides; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005732:Gangliosides; D006023:Glycoproteins; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid