Serum Levels of Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase and Breast Feeding

• Published in: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism Vol. 16; no. 9; pp. 1289 - 1294
• Main Authors: Shamir, R., Nganga, A., Berkowitz, D., Diamond, E., Lischinsky, S., Lombardo, D., Shehadeh, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany De Gruyter 01.12.2003
• Subjects: Antioxidants - chemistry; Birth Weight - physiology; Breast Feeding; Cholesterol - chemistry; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - chemistry; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - chemistry; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Infant; Milk, Human - chemistry; Milk, Human - enzymology; Sterol Esterase - blood; Sterol Esterase - chemistry; Sterol Esterase - pharmacology; Triglycerides - blood; Triglycerides - chemistry
• ISSN: 0334-018X; 2191-0251
• DOI: 10.1515/JPEM.2003.16.9.1289

Bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) is present in the sera of healthy humans, may affect lipoprotein structure and composition, and reduce atherogenicity of oxidized LDL-cholesterol. Our aims were to examine serum levels of BSSL in breast- and formula-fed infants, and explore the influence of BSSL on serum lipid profile and oxidative status. Infants (2-8 weeks old) were prospectively enrolled. Blood was drawn for serum levels of BSSL, total antioxidant status (TAS), and lipid profile. Serum levels of BSSL were similar in breast-fed (0.28 +/- 0.15 microg/l, n = 18) and formula-fed (0.31 +/- 0.09 microg/l, n = 15) infants, and were much lower than reported levels for adults. In breast-fed infants only, BSSL levels were correlated with LDL-cholesterol serum levels (r = -0.53, p = 0.04). Total cholesterol (119.2 +/- 34.3 mg/dl vs 97 +/- 27.2, and p = 0.05) and LDL-cholesterol serum levels (50.5 +/- 26.1 mg/dl vs 33.3 +/- 20.3, p = 0.05), were elevated in breast-fed compared with formula-fed infants, but TAS was similar in both groups (1.02 +/- 0.18 mmol/l and 0.98 +/- 0.12 mmol/l, respectively). Lack of difference in BSSL serum levels between formula- and breast-feeding, and lower BSSL levels in infants compared to adults, suggest that human milk does not contribute to BSSL serum levels.