Influence of Feeding Formula and Breast Milk Fortifier on Lymphocyte Subsets in Very Low Birth Weight Premature Newborns

Abstract

Background: It is well known that breast-feeding protects the newborn from infectious diseases. This is especially important for very low birth weight preterm infants, whose immune systems are immature. In this study we investigated how a milk fortifier and replacement formula affected lymphocyte subsets in preterm infants. Method: The study assessed the effects of different types of feeding (human milk, n = 14; fortified human milk, n = 16; formula, n = 14) on lymphocyte subsets in 44 very low birth weight preterm infants. For each baby, two consecutive blood samples were collected 7–10 days apart during the full enteral feeding period. For each sample, the percentages of CD3+ (pan-T), CD19+ (B-cell), CD4+ (T-helper), CD8+ (T-suppressor), and CD3–CD16/56+ (natural killer cell) lymphocytes were measured in a flow cytometer, and the absolute count for each subset was calculated based on the total lymphocyte count. Within each feeding group, the absolute numbers of each lymphocyte subset in the two consecutive samples were compared. Also, the mean absolute counts for each cell type were compared among the 3 groups for the first set of blood samples, and the same comparisons were made for the second set. Results: The mean number of CD3–CD16/56+ cells in the formula-fed infants was significantly lower than the corresponding means in the groups fed human milk alone and fortified human milk (p = 0.037). Conclusion: The findings suggest that babies fed formula have different lymphocyte subset compositions than those fed breast milk or fortified breast milk.

A Review of the Source and Function of Microbiota in Breast Milk

“…34 In a small study of preterm infants, infants fed breast milk also had lower B-cell counts than infants who were fed formula. 35 Because of the immaturity of the neonatal humoral response, infants facing infection rely on maternal antibodies and a robust cytotoxic Th1 response. Enhanced cytotoxic function in infants fed breast milk may be promoted by bacterial ligands in breast milk.…”

Effect of Saccharomyces boulardii in Children with Acute Gastroenteritis and Its Relationship to the Immune Response

“…In our study, the lowered levels of complement C4 in group 1 might be explained by Caetano's findings, 31 although lowered levels of C4 were also found in the control group. The importance of breast-feeding on native immunity was demonstrated by Tarcan et al 32 in a study comparing the percentage of NK cells between breast-fed and formula-fed infants; NK cell counts were significantly higher in breast-fed infants. 32 Similarly, Hawkes et al 33 demonstrated an increased CD8 lymphocyte count and decreased CD4/CD8 ratio in breast-fed infants.…”

“…The importance of breast-feeding on native immunity was demonstrated by Tarcan et al 32 in a study comparing the percentage of NK cells between breast-fed and formula-fed infants; NK cell counts were significantly higher in breast-fed infants. 32 Similarly, Hawkes et al 33 demonstrated an increased CD8 lymphocyte count and decreased CD4/CD8 ratio in breast-fed infants. In concordance with these studies, we demonstrated that different diets (milk TB Ozkan, E Sahin, G Erdemir et al Saccharomyces boulardii and paediatric diarrhoea formula or breast-feeding) might result in different immune profiles, confirming the synergism between breast milk and probiotics against infections and their combined effect on the consistency of intestinal flora during the early infantile period.…”

Effect of artificial rearing of piglets on the volume densities of M cells in the tonsils of the soft palate and ileal Peyer’s patches

“…However, formulated milk does not seem to influence lymphocyte counts in the gut wall in piglets (Prims et al, 2016). In addition, only lower numbers of natural killer cells have been observed in peripheral blood of infants after formula feeding (Tarcan et al, 2004). This observation is important since maintenance of M cells in PPs relies on close interaction of the cell with B cells (Mach et al, 2005;Miyazawa et al, 2006).…”