Milk and blood ghrelin level in diabetics

OBJECTIVE: Besides its presence in various tissues, ghrelin has recently been shown to be present in blood and breast milk. No previous studies, however, have evaluated the level of this hormone under the condition of pregestational and gestational diabetes mellitus (P-GDM and GDM, respectively). This study was undertaken to show whether a relation exists between serum and milk ghrelin levels in lactating mothers with and without diabetes. METHODS: Venous blood was obtained from four groups of women (age range 22-37 y): GDM lactating (n = 12), P-GM lactating (n = 3), healthy non-diabetic lactating (n = 14), and healthy non-lactating (n = 14). Colostrum and mature milk samples were collected just before suckling. The ghrelin level was determined by radioimmunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Radioimmunoassay results showed that women with GDM and P-GDM had greater than two-fold lower colostrum and serum levels of ghrelin than did lactating women with no GDM at 2 d after parturition. The GDM and non-diabetic groups at 15 d after delivery, however, showed similar levels of ghrelin in mature milk and serum. High-performance liquid chromatographic results indicated that in serum the deacylated form of ghrelin was 18-fold higher than the acylated form. Furthermore, in milk the acylated form of ghrelin was 24-fold that of the active form. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that mothers with GDM have a substantial (greater than two-fold) decrease in their serum and colostral ghrelin levels. This is, however, a temporary effect lasting only up to early postparturition (2 d after delivery). This peptide hormone restores to completely normal levels at day 15 of parturition, but not P-GDM. The significance of these results in terms of the health of the mother and her newborn, however, has yet to be determined.     

Persistency of high proinflammatory cytokine levels from colostrum to mature milk in preeclampsia

OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests a role of an excessive maternal inflammatory response in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Whether this imbalance can be transferred from mother to breast milk remains to be established. DESIGN AND METHODS: 15 preeclamptic and 15 healthy pregnant women were recruited in this study. Colostrum and milk samples were collected postpartum in the first 48 h and at 30 days, respectively. Samples were analyzed for interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and soluble IL-2R (sIL-2R) levels with chemiluminescence enzyme immunometric assays. RESULTS: Colostrum cytokine levels corrected for gestational age and type of delivery were not significantly different in the two groups. Cytokine levels significantly decreased in mature milk versus colostrum in the control group (P < 0.05), but did not significantly decrease in the preeclampsia group (P > 0.05), except for TNF-alpha (P < 0.05). Mature milk IL-8 and TNF-alpha levels were higher in the preeclampsia group versus controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Results of this study show that proinflammatory cytokines in breast milk exhibit biological variation at different periods of human lactation. In preeclampsia, high cytokine levels persist at least for 30 days. These results suggest that preeclampsia may affect milk cytokine balance and offer an immunological signal for the host defense in high-risk neonates.     

Milk of northern Sudanese mothers whose traditional diet is high in carbohydrate contains low docosahexaenoic acid

Aim: The suckling neonates and infants are reliant primarily on the mother for optimal supply of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The richest source of preformed DHA is cold‐water oily fish. Although there is paucity of data, existing evidence suggest women with restricted access to these foods have low or marginal DHA status. The aim of the study was to investigate milk fatty acids of Sudanese mothers whose traditional diet is high in carbohydrate and low in fat and gain some insight into the provision of DHA to the suckling offspring. Methods: Colostrum (n = 26), transitional (n = 20) and mature (n = 14) milk samples were obtained from Northern Sudanese women (NSW) recruited prior to delivery from Ibrahim Malik and Khartoum Teaching Hospitals. Results: The arachidonic acid content of the colostrum (0.87 ± 0.28%) and transitional (0.89 ± 0.29%) and mature (0.48 ± 0.12%) milk of the NSW were broadly comparable with published international values. In contrast, the DHA level (colostrum 0.13 ± 0.07%, transitional 0.13 ± 0.06% and mature milk 0.06 ± 0.05%) was very low. Conclusion: The study reveals breast milk of NSW, whose traditional diet is almost devoid of fish and fish products, is unlikely to provide sufficient DHA to support optimal postnatal neuro‐visual development.     

Vitamin A nutritional status in high- and low-income postpartum women and its effect on colostrum and the requirements of the term newborn

Objective

To evaluate the vitamin A status in serum and colostrum of postpartum women with different socioeconomic status, comparing the colostrum retinol supply with the vitamin A requirement of the newborn.

乳房局部推拿对产后泌乳的影响

目的:探讨推拿促进产妇泌乳的有效性,拟定促进产妇产后泌乳的有效推拿手法。方法:以84例足月初产妇为研究对象,随机分为推拿组(58例)和对照组(26例),推拿组以乳房局部推拿为主,配合经穴推拿;对照组予母婴同室常规护理。观察推拿对产妇始乳时间、产妇泌乳量、血清泌乳素等指标的影响,并与正常未推拿产妇进行比较对照。结果:推拿组产妇的泌乳量积分在治疗1次后、2次后、3次后分别为1.660±0.785、2.530±1.030、2.880±1.171,而对照组在相应时间段则分别为1.270±0.533、1.460±0.811、1.500±0.583,推拿组泌乳量积分高于对照组(均P<0.01);两组始乳时间分别为(21.6±10.51)h和(22.5±9.76)h,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);推拿组治疗前血清泌乳素为(314.35±110.37)ng/mL,治疗后上升为(321.56±109.61)ng/mL,而对照组血清泌乳素前后分别为(385.78±85.19)ng/mL和(340.12±103.10)ng/mL,但两组前后比较差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。结论:产后乳房推拿能明显增加产妇的泌乳量,能延缓血清泌乳素下降水平,有利于产妇早泌乳、多泌乳。     

Investigation of human colostrum Helicobacter pylori IgA content in lactating women

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the colostral H. pylori-specific IgA content in a sample of the female population in Turkey where a high endemicity for H. pylori has always been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty-one pregnant women with positive serum H. pylori IgG antibody at the time of the last trimester were enrolled into the study. During the initial postpartum 24h, we obtained colostrum samples from each mother to test the presence and concentration of H. pylori-specific IgA. Breast milk antibody concentrations of H. pylori were measured by commercial ELISA tests. Sample absorbance/cut-off absorbance (s/c) ratio was used for semiquantitative interpretation. Ratios >1.1 were considered positive, ratios < or =1.1 negative. The statistical significance was tested by the Mann-Whitney U-test, and p < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. RESULTS: At least 2 ml of colostrum was obtained and analyzed (mean volume 2.5+/-0.45 ml). The results indicated the absence of H. pylori-specific IgA in 64 colostral samples (39.8%). However, the rest of the women (n = 97; 60.2%) had a mean H. pylori-specific IgA s/c ratio of 4.31+/-2.51 (range 1.2-10.3) in their colostral milk samples. The mean gestational age at the time of delivery was 38 weeks and 5 days, and the mean birth weight was 3, 224+/-433 g (range 4, 300-1, 940 g). Gestational age at birth and mode of delivery were not correlated with the colostral-specific IgA levels. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the lactating women (60.2%), who were seropositive for H. pylori, had some IgA in their colostral milk. Colostral milk theoretically can decrease H. pylori and perhaps many other enteric infections, whether or not it contains H. pylori-specific IgA. Therefore, breastfeeding is of utmost importance for neonates and should be encouraged. The H. pylori-specific IgA antibody concentration of colostral milk should be investigated in large-scale prospective studies for its effectiveness in the protection against neonatal transmission of this infection.     

灵芝牛初乳复合胶囊增强小鼠免疫功能的研究

目的：探讨灵芝牛初乳复合胶囊对小鼠免疫功能的影响。方法：200只雌性ICR小鼠随机分为4组,即低、中、高剂量组和溶剂对照组,分别给予75mg／kg、150mg／kg、450mg／kg的灵芝牛初乳复合胶囊,溶剂对照组给予蒸馏水,连续灌胃30d后,分别检测以下指标,脏器／体重比值、24h足跖肿胀度、脾淋巴细胞增殖能力,溶血空斑数、半数溶血值,碳廓清能力、鸡红细胞吞噬率与吞噬指数及NK细胞活性。结果：灵芝牛初乳复合胶囊可增强DNFB引起的小鼠迟发性变态反应和小鼠淋巴细胞增殖能力,提高小鼠B细胞抗体生成和血清溶血素能力,还可增强小鼠NK细胞活性;各剂量组灵芝牛初乳复合胶囊对小鼠体重、免疫器官／体重比值、小鼠碳廓清能力和小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞吞噬鸡红细胞能力均无明显影响（P〉0．05）。结论：灵芝牛初乳复合胶囊对正常小鼠免疫功能具有明显增强作用。     

初乳中免疫活性细胞及TNF-α的测量研究

目的 探讨早产母初乳免疫物质的含量,为早产儿早期母乳喂养提供理论依据。方法 用流式细胞仪直接和间接免疫荧光标记法测定早产母初乳中表达ＣＤ３、ＣＤ４、ＣＤ８、ＣＤ１０分化群的细胞比例,用双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附法（ＥＬＩＳＡ）测定初乳中肿瘤坏死因子－α（ＴＮＦ－α）的含量,并与正常足月安乳组对比分析。结果 早产母初乳中Ｔ３、Ｔ４、Ｔ８淋巴细胞比例及Ｔ４／Ｔ８比值稍低于足月组,Ｂ淋巴细胞比例稍高于足月组     

术后镇痛对初乳sIgA的影响

目的：探讨剖宫产及剖宫产术后硬膜外镇痛对母体初乳中分泌型免疫球蛋白A（sIgA）含量的影响。方法：顺产（NL）、剖宫产（CS）及剖宫产术后使用镇痛（CS-A）的初产妇各10例，记录分娩后首次产生初乳的时间，测定首次初乳和随后24h、48h初乳中sIgA含量。结果：产生首次初乳的时间顺序为CS组〉CS-A组〉NL组（P〈0．05）；初乳中sIgA值：首次初乳NL组〉CS-A组〉CS组（P〈0．05）；初乳24hCS组〈NL组、CS-A组（P〈0．05）；初乳48h三组含量无差异（P〉0．05）。结论：剖宫产延迟初产妇的初乳产生、减少初乳中sIgA含量，术后使用镇痛可改善这种影响。     

Selective compartmentalization of γσ-T lymphocytes in human breastmilk

Abstract In human breastmilk, T lymphocytes with γδ-receptor (TCR) are more frequent than those with αβ-TCR, in comparison with peripheral blood. Differential representation has also been demonstrated for subpopulations of γδ-T cells. Reactivity was visualized with three monoclonal antibodies against Vδ1, Vδ2 and Vγ2 on T cells from the breastmilk and peripheral blood of 12 women who had recently given birth. Confirming the results with Vδ1, it was found that Vδ1 ( p < 0.01) and Vγ2 ( p < 0.05) but not Vδ2 were overrepresented on T cells in milk as compared with blood. This selective compartmentalization seems to reflect the homing of certain cells to the mammary gland.