Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and soluble VEGF receptor 1 (sFlt-1) levels in early and mature human milk from mothers of preterm versus term infants.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors regulate angiogenesis (formation of blood vessels). The soluble VEGF receptor 1 (sFlt-1) binds VEGF as a potent antagonist.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare VEGF and sFlt-1 levels in milk from mothers of preterm (n = 50) versus term (n = 49) infants in a longitudinal study.


METHODS
Milk samples were collected on days 3 and 28 of lactation. Vascular endothelial growth factor and sFlt-1 were quantified by sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Vascular endothelial growth factor and sFlt-1 were found in high concentrations in early milk (lactation day 3) from mothers of preterm and term infants and were lower in mature milk (lactation day 28). On day 3, median VEGF concentration was lower in preterm than in term milk (37.1 vs 53.9 ng/mL, P < .01). Otherwise, VEGF (day 28) and sFlt-1 (days 3 and 28) did not differ in preterm versus term milk.


CONCLUSIONS
It was shown for the first time that sFlt-1 is present in human milk. Early human milk contains high concentrations of VEGF and sFlt-1, which decrease over the course of lactation.
Charité Virchow Hospital, University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany. andrea.loui@charite.de
Andrea
A
Loui
Elisabeth
E
Eilers
Evelyn
E
Strauss
Anja
A
Pohl-Schickinger
Michael
M
Obladen
Petra
P
Koehne
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1