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BMC Medicine
Published in: BMC Medicine 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Obesity | Research article

A cross-sectional study evidences regulations of leukocytes in the colostrum of mothers with obesity

Authors: Raúl Piñeiro-Salvador, Eduardo Vazquez-Garza, José Antonio Cruz-Cardenas, Cuauhtémoc Licona-Cassani, Gerardo García-Rivas, Jorge Moreno-Vásquez, Mario René Alcorta-García, Victor Javier Lara-Diaz, Marion E. G. Brunck

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

Breastmilk is a dynamic fluid whose initial function is to provide the most adapted nutrition to the neonate. Additional attributes have been recently ascribed to breastmilk, with the evidence of a specific microbiota and the presence of various components of the immune system, such as cytokines and leukocytes. The composition of breastmilk varies through time, according to the health status of mother and child, and altogether contributes to the future health of the infant. Obesity is a rising condition worldwide that creates a state of systemic, chronic inflammation including leukocytosis. Here, we asked whether colostrum, the milk produced within the first 48 h post-partum, would contain a distinct leukocyte composition depending on the body mass index (BMI) of the mother.

Methods

We collected peripheral blood and colostrum paired samples from obese (BMI > 30) and lean (BMI < 25) mothers within 48 h post-partum and applied a panel of 6 antibodies plus a viability marker to characterize 10 major leukocyte subpopulations using flow cytometry.

Results

The size, internal complexity, and surface expression of CD45 and CD16 of multiple leukocyte subpopulations were selectively regulated between blood and colostrum irrespective of the study groups, suggesting a generalized cell-specific phenotype alteration. In obesity, the colostrum B lymphocyte compartment was significantly reduced, and CD16+ blood monocytes had an increased CD16 expression compared to the lean group.

Conclusions

This is the first characterization of major leukocyte subsets in colostrum of mothers suffering from obesity and the first report of colostrum leukocyte subpopulations in Latin America. We evidence various significant alterations of most leukocyte populations between blood and colostrum and demonstrate a decreased colostrum B lymphocyte fraction in obesity. This pioneering study is a stepping stone to further investigate active immunity in human breastmilk.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
A cross-sectional study evidences regulations of leukocytes in the colostrum of mothers with obesity
Authors
Raúl Piñeiro-Salvador
Eduardo Vazquez-Garza
José Antonio Cruz-Cardenas
Cuauhtémoc Licona-Cassani
Gerardo García-Rivas
Jorge Moreno-Vásquez
Mario René Alcorta-García
Victor Javier Lara-Diaz
Marion E. G. Brunck
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Obesity
Obesity
Published in
BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-022-02575-y

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