Superoxide Dismutase and Glutathione Peroxidase Content of Human Milk From Mothers of Premature and Full-Term Infants During the First 3 Months of Lactation

Sep 21, 2000Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition

Levels of antioxidant enzymes in breast milk from mothers of premature and full-term babies during the first 3 months

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

During the 12-week study, the enzyme activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase increased while protein content in human milk declined.

Both full-term (FT) and premature (PT) infant mothers showed an increase in total enzyme activity over the 12-week period.
The activity of glutathione peroxidase per milliliter of milk was significantly higher in the PT group at weeks 1, 2, and 7 compared to the FT group.
Superoxide dismutase activity per milliliter and per milligram of protein was consistently higher in FT milk throughout the study.
Mothers of PT infants may produce less milk, potentially impacting the antioxidant protection available to these infants.

AI simplified

BACKGROUND: Human milk contains various bioactive compounds including numerous immunologic factors, enzymes, growth factors, and hormones. However, the change during the course of lactation in many of these compounds has not been fully characterized. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to measure the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD; Enzyme Commission number [EC] 1.15.1.1) and glutathione peroxidase (SeGSHPx; EC 1.11.1.9) in human milk, to record changes in enzyme activity over time and to determine whether there are differences in activity between the milk of mothers of full-term (FT) and premature (PT) infants.

METHODS: Nine samples were collected from each of 15 mothers (32 +/- 4 years of age; mean +/- standard deviation) of FT infants (gestational age, 40 +/- 1 weeks; birth weight, 3544 +/- 417 g) and 19 mothers (28 +/- 5 years of age) of healthy PT infants (gestational age, 29 +/- 4 weeks; birth weight, 1312 +/- 479 g). Samples were collected within a week of birth (+/- 1 day) and thereafter for 8 weeks, with a final collection at 12 weeks.

RESULTS: During the 12-week study period, in both groups, total milliunits of GHSPx and SeGHSPx per milligram protein and SOD per per milligram protein increased, whereas protein content declined. SeGHSPx per milliliter milk was higher in the PT group at week 1 (92 +/- 30 mU/mL vs. 73 +/- 21 mU/mL), week 2 (93 +/- 28 mU/mL vs. 75 +/- 24 mU/mL), and week 7 (85 +/- 24 mU/mL vs. 68 +/- 22 mU/mL). The SOD activity per milliliter milk and milligram protein was higher throughout the entire study in the FT milk.

CONCLUSIONS: Because mothers of PT infants may produce less milk than those of FT infants, PT infants may be at a disadvantage for antioxidant protection from these enzymes.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text ↗

Superoxide Dismutase and Glutathione Peroxidase Content of Human Milk From Mothers of Premature and Full-Term Infants During the First 3 Months of Lactation

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief