Oligosaccharides and N/O-glycans
are abundant in human milk and have numerous biological functions
(for instance sialylated glycans provide sialic acid for the growth
of infant brains), but their variation trends during lactation need
further exploration. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of oligosaccharides
and N/O-glycans in human milk at
different lactation stages (from 7 days to 8 months) were performed
using UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Thirty-four oligosaccharides, twenty-three N-glycans, and six O-glycans were identified.
Oligosaccharides showed the highest abundance in human colostrum and
decreased with the progression of lactation, and the abundance of N/O-glycans fluctuated as lactation progressed,
while a high abundance of sialylated oligosaccharides and sialylated N/O-glycans was observed in human colostrum.
These findings provide evidence for breastfeeding support and contribute
to the development of infant formula supplemented with human milk
glycans.
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