Carbohydrate phenotyping of human and animal milk glycoproteins.
Breast-milk has a well-known anti-microbial effect, which is in part due to the many different carbohydrate structures expressed. This renders it a position as a potential therapeutic for treatment of infection by different pathogens, thus avoiding the drawbacks of many antibiotics. The plethora of carbohydrate epitopes in breast-milk is known to differ between species, with human milk expressing the most complex one. We have investigated the expression of protein-bound carbohydrate epitopes in milk from man, cow, goat, sheep, pig, horse, dromedary and rabbit. Proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and the presence of carbohydrate epitopes on milk proteins were analysed by Western blotting using different lectins and carbohydrate-specific antibodies. We show that ABH, Lewis (Le)x, sialyl-Lex, Lea, sialyl-Lea and Leb carbohydrate epitopes are expressed mainly on man, pig and horse milk proteins. The blood group precursor structure H type 1 is expressed in all species investigated, while only pig, dromedary and rabbit milk proteins carry H type 2 epitopes. These epitopes are receptors for Helicobacter pylori (Leb and sialyl-Lex), enteropathogenic (H type 1, Lea and Lex) and enterotoxic Escherichia coli (heat-stable toxin; H type 1 and 2), and Campylobacter jejuni (H type 2). Thus, milk from these animals or their genetically modified descendants could have a therapeutic effect by inhibiting pathogen colonization and infection.
Gustafsson
Anki
A
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. anki.gustafsson@clinchem.gu.se
Kacskovics
Imre
I
Breimer
Michael E
ME
Hammarström
Lennart
L
Holgersson
Jan
J
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011817:Rabbits; D012756:Sheep; D013552:Swine
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D002241:Carbohydrates; D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D008894:Milk Proteins