Determining the metabolic fate of human milk oligosaccharides: it may just be more complex than you think?

• Published in: Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England) Vol. 3; p. e9
• Main Authors: Jackson, Peter Philip James, Wijeyesekera, Anisha, Rastall, Robert Adrian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Cambridge University Press 2022
• Subjects: Bifidobacterium; cross-feeding; gut microbiota; Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs); infant formula; infants; Review; Bifidobacterium; cross-feeding; infants; infant formula; gut microbiota; Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)
• ISSN: 2632-2897; 2632-2897
• DOI: 10.1017/gmb.2022.8

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a class of structurally diverse and complex unconjugated glycans present in breast milk, which act as selective substrates for several genera of select microbes and inhibit the colonisation of pathogenic bacteria. Yet, not all infants are breastfed, instead being fed with formula milks which may or may not contain HMOs. Currently, formula milks only possess two HMOs: 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) and lacto- -neotetraose (LNnT), which have been suggested to be similarly effective as human breast milk in supporting age-related growth. However, the evidence regarding their ability to beneficially reduce respiratory infections along with altering the composition of an infant's microbiota is limited at best. Thus, this review will explore the concept of HMOs and their metabolic fate, and summarise previous and clinical data regarding HMOs, with specific regard to 2'FL and LNnT.