Human milk oligosaccharide

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), also known as human milk glycans, are short polymers of simple sugars that can be found in high concentrations in human breast milk. Human milk oligosaccharides promote the development of the immune system, can reduce the risk of pathogen infections and improve brain development and cognition. The HMO profile of human breast milk shapes the gut microbiota of the infant by selectively stimulating bifidobacteria and other bacteria. In contrast to the other components of breast milk that are absorbed by the infant through breastfeeding, HMOs are indigestible for the nursing child. However, they have a prebiotic effect and serve as food for intestinal bacteria, especially bifidobacteria. The dominance of these intestinal bacteria in the gut reduces the colonization with pathogenic bacteria (probiosis) and thereby promotes a healthy intestinal microbiota and reduces the risk of dangerous intestinal infections. Recent studies suggest that HMOs significantly lower the risk of viral and bacterial infections and thus diminish the chance of diarrhoea and respiratory diseases. This protective function of the HMOs is activated when in contact with specific pathogens, such as certain bacteria or viruses. These have the ability to bind themselves to the glycan receptors (receptors for long chains of connected sugar molecules on the surface of human cells) located on the surface of the intestinal cells and can thereby infect the cells of the intestinal mucosa. Researchers have discovered that HMOs mimic these glycan receptors so the pathogens bind themselves to the HMOs rather than the intestinal cells. This reduces the risk of an infection with a pathogen. It has also been demonstrated that HMOs can bind to several intestinal viruses, such as norovirus and Norwalk virus, moreover they can reduce the virus load from influenza and RSV. In addition to this, HMOs seem to influence the reaction of specific cells of the immune system in a way that reduces inflammatory responses.