Inhibition of Attachment of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae by Human Milk and Receptor Oligosaccharides

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 153; no. 2; pp. 232 - 237
• Main Authors: Andersson, Bengt, Porras, Oscar, Hanson, Lars Å., Lagergård, Teresa, Svanborg-Edén, Catharina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-02-1986; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adhesiveness; Animals; Antibodies; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Bacteria; Bacterial adhesion; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; breast milk; Buffaloes; Cattle; Cheek; Epithelial cells; epithelium; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Haemophilus influenzae; Haemophilus influenzae - immunology; Haemophilus influenzae - physiology; Humans; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory - analysis; Immunoglobulin M - analysis; Immunoglobulins; Infant Food; Infections; Microbiology; Milk; Milk, Human - immunology; Milk, Human - physiology; Motility, taxis; Mouth Mucosa - microbiology; Oligosaccharides; Oligosaccharides - physiology; oral cavity; Original Articles; Oropharynx - microbiology; Receptors; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Streptococcus pneumoniae - immunology; Streptococcus pneumoniae - physiology; Human; Oligosaccharide; Oropharynx; Adhesion; Biological activity; Haemophilus influenzae; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Respiratory tract; Streptococcaceae; Microorganism culture; Human milk; Bacteria; Epithelial cell; Inhibition
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/153.2.232

Human milk inhibited the attachment of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae to human pharyngeal or buccal epithelial cells. Infant formulas and cow and buffalo milk showed a lower inhibitory activity against pneumococci and enhanced the adhesion of H. influenzae. The antiadhesive effect against S. pneumoniae was found in both the high- and the low-molecular-weight fractions of milk. The inhibitory activity in the high-molecular-weight fraction was independent of specific antibody content; it was present after immunoadsorption and in the milk from IgA-deficient women. The inhibitory activity in the low-molecular-weight fraction was in part explained by the content of oligosaccharides corresponding to the carbohydrate moieties of the neolactoseries of glycolipids, which have previously been shown to act as receptors for attaching pneumococci. The antiadhesive activity against H. influenzae was restricted to the high-molecular-weight fraction of the milk and was unaffected by immunoadsorption. Milk may protect against otitis by reducing colonization.