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.
Wang
Bing
B
Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
McVeagh
Patricia
P
Petocz
Peter
P
Brand-Miller
Jennie
J
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