title: Lipidomic analyses, breast- and formula-feeding, and growth in infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate lipidomic differences between breast- and formula-fed infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We utilized high-resolution mass-spectrometry methods to analyze 3.2 mm dried blood spot samples collected at ages 3 months (n = 241) and 12 months (n = 144) from a representative birth cohort study. Lipidomic profiles were compared between infants exclusively breast-fed, formula-fed, or mixed-fed, and related to 12-month infancy weight. Data analysis included supervised multivariate statistics (partial least squares discriminant analysis), and univariate analysis with correction for multiple testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Distinct differences in 3-month lipidomic profiles were observed between exclusively breast-fed and formula-fed infants; mixed-fed infants showed intermediate profiles. Principle lipidomic characteristics of breast-fed infants were lower total phosphatidylcholines (PCs), with specifically lower short chain unsaturated PC but higher long chain polyunsaturated PC; higher cholesterol esters; and variable differences in sphingomyelins. At 12 months, lipidomic profiles were markedly different to those at 3 months, and differences between the earlier breast/formula/mixed-feeding groups were no longer evident. However, several specific lipid species, associated with breast-feeding at 3 months, also correlated with differences in 3- to 12-month weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  State-of-the-art dried blood spot sample lipidomic profiling demonstrated striking differences between breast-fed and formula-fed infants. Although these changes diminished with age, breast-fed lipidomic profiles at 3 months were associated with infancy weight and could potentially represent biomarkers of infant nutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, National Institute of Human Research Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Philippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prentice
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koulman
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, National Institute of Human Research Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carlo L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Acerini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, National Institute of Human Research Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ken K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, National Institute of Human Research Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Electronic address: dbd25@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Dunger
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids