The relationship between ghrelin and adiponectin levels in breast milk and infant serum and growth of infants during early postnatal life

Abstract

Ghrelin and adiponectin have been found in breast milk and are considered to take part in the regulation of growth and energy metabolism of infants. Our aims were to determine ghrelin and adiponectin levels in breast milk and serum samples of mothers and their infants, and to investigate the relationship between their levels and anthropometry of newborn infants during early postnatal life. Total and active ghrelin and adiponectin levels were studied in breast milk, and the serum samples of 25 healthy lactating women and their healthy fullterm infants were taken at the 1st and 4th months of life. Anthropometric measurements of infants were also performed during the study period. Breast milk and infant serum active ghrelin levels were found to be significantly increased at the 4th month of life compared with 1st month levels (p < 0.05). Maternal serum total ghrelin and infant serum adiponectin levels were found to be significantly reduced at the 4th month of life (p < 0.05). Breast milk active ghrelin levels were higher than the infant and maternal serum active ghrelin at the 1st and 4th months (p < 0.05). There was a negative significant correlation between the level of infant serum active ghrelin levels and BMI of infants at the 1st month. A positive significant correlation was found between the level of 1st month infant serum adiponectin levels and weight gain of infants during the study period. Fourth month infant serum adiponectin were also positively correlated with weight and BMI of infants at the 4th month and the weight gain during study period. There was a positive significant correlation between the level of 4th month breast milk active ghrelin and weight gain of infants during the study period. Ghrelin and adiponectin are involved in postnatal growth of infants. Ghrelin in breast milk also seems to be related to the growth of infants during early postnatal life. The sources of these peptides in breast milk are probably both maternal serum and breast tissue itself.

Comparative measurement of ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, EGF and IGF-1 in breast milk of mothers with overweight/obese and normal-weight infants

“…Woo et al 24 found that high concentration of adiponectin is associated with weight loss and may be involved in the regulation of infantile growth. Cesur et al 18 showed that there is no significant relationship between breast milk adiponectin and growth parameters of the infants.…”

“…Although ghrelin receptors located on gastric epithelial cells in man may be involved in ghrelin passing from milk to infant blood, there has been little work investigating the association of breast milk ghrelin concentration and growth of breastfed infants during early postnatal life. 17,18 Besides having a role in short-term regulation of food intake, ghrelin may also have a role in long-term regulation of energy balance. The ghrelin content of maternal milk may have an important regulatory role on appetite in the infant and may have a direct effect on milk intake.…”

Ghrelin and Obestatin in Infants, Lactating Mothers and Breast Milk

“…Further to the detection of ghrelin in breast milk and its receptors in human gastric epithelial cells [27], Cesur et al [28] recently speculated that from birth ghrelin in breast milk might be synthesized by mammary epithelial cells, or that it might be passed from a mother’s serum to her breast milk according to her infant’s needs.…”

“…In conclusion, ghrelin and obestatin are present in breast milk and could be related to growth, appetite and food intake regulation during early life [28]. The sources of these peptides in breast milk are probably both maternal serum and breast tissue itself.…”

Bioactive Factors in Breast Milk: The Impact on Nutritional Programming of Childhood Obesity

“…The ghrelin level increases gradually in colostrum, and in transitional and mature milk [30]. Cesur et al [31] reported that active ghrelin level in breast milk at the 4 th month of lactation significantly and positively correlated with weight gain of the infants. In new borns' levels of ghrelin were higher in SGA babies than in AGA babies.…”