title: Human milk contains elements that block binding of noroviruses to human histo-blood group antigens in saliva.
abstract: Noroviruses (NVs) recognize human histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) as receptors. We characterized the interaction of human milk samples with recombinant virus-like particles representing VA387, Norwalk, VA207, and MOH. Milk samples from 60 healthy women were tested for human HBGAs and for their ability to block the binding of NVs. Fifty-four women were secretors (Se+), and 6 were nonsecretors (Se-). No women had detectable A or B antigens in their milk samples. All 54 Se+ milk samples, but 0 of 6 Se- milk samples, blocked VA387 and Norwalk virus (Se+ binders) from binding to saliva samples. All 6 Lewis-positive Se- milk samples blocked binding to VA207, and variable blocking activities were exhibited by the Se+ milk samples. No milk samples blocked the binding of MOH to A and B antigens. Secretor and Lewis, but not A or B antigens, were present in human milk and were responsible for blocking NV binding to receptors and therefore are likely to be decoy receptors that protect breast-fed infants from NV infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. jason.jiang@cchmc.org
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Pengwei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Weiming
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Ardythe L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Newburg
authors.forename: Guillermo M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Palacios
authors.forename: Larry K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Pickering
mesh_terms: D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D029322:Norovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014768:Virginia; D038301:Virus Inactivation
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D011991:Receptors, Virus