Nature Communications (Sep 2024)
Human milk oligosaccharides are associated with maternal genetics and respiratory health of human milk-fed children
- Amirthagowri Ambalavanan,
- Le Chang,
- Jihoon Choi,
- Yang Zhang,
- Sara A. Stickley,
- Zhi Y. Fang,
- Kozeta Miliku,
- Bianca Robertson,
- Chloe Yonemitsu,
- Stuart E. Turvey,
- Piushkumar J. Mandhane,
- Elinor Simons,
- Theo J. Moraes,
- Sonia S. Anand,
- Guillaume Paré,
- Janet E. Williams,
- Brenda M. Murdoch,
- Gloria E. Otoo,
- Samwel Mbugua,
- Elizabeth W. Kamau-Mbuthia,
- Egidioh W. Kamundia,
- Debela K. Gindola,
- Juan M. Rodriguez,
- Rossina G. Pareja,
- Daniel W. Sellen,
- Sophie E. Moore,
- Andrew M. Prentice,
- James A. Foster,
- Linda J. Kvist,
- Holly L. Neibergs,
- Mark A. McGuire,
- Michelle K. McGuire,
- Courtney L. Meehan,
- Malcolm R. Sears,
- Padmaja Subbarao,
- Meghan B. Azad,
- Lars Bode,
- Qingling Duan
Affiliations
- Amirthagowri Ambalavanan
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University
- Le Chang
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University
- Jihoon Choi
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University
- Yang Zhang
- School of Computing, Queen’s University
- Sara A. Stickley
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University
- Zhi Y. Fang
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University
- Kozeta Miliku
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University
- Bianca Robertson
- Department of Pediatrics and Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), Human Milk Institute (HMI), University of California San Diego
- Chloe Yonemitsu
- Department of Pediatrics and Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), Human Milk Institute (HMI), University of California San Diego
- Stuart E. Turvey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of British Columbia
- Piushkumar J. Mandhane
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta
- Elinor Simons
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba
- Theo J. Moraes
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto
- Sonia S. Anand
- Chanchlani Research Centre, Dept. of Medicine, McMaster University
- Guillaume Paré
- Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University
- Janet E. Williams
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, University of Idaho
- Brenda M. Murdoch
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, University of Idaho
- Gloria E. Otoo
- Department of Nutrition & Food Science, University of Ghana
- Samwel Mbugua
- Department of Human Nutrition, Egerton University
- Elizabeth W. Kamau-Mbuthia
- Department of Human Nutrition, Egerton University
- Egidioh W. Kamundia
- Department of Human Nutrition, Egerton University
- Debela K. Gindola
- Department of Anthropology, Hawassa University
- Juan M. Rodriguez
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Complutense University of Madrid
- Rossina G. Pareja
- Nutrition Research Institute
- Daniel W. Sellen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto
- Sophie E. Moore
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, King’s College London
- Andrew M. Prentice
- The Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- James A. Foster
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho
- Linda J. Kvist
- Faculty of Medicine, Lund University
- Holly L. Neibergs
- Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University
- Mark A. McGuire
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, University of Idaho
- Michelle K. McGuire
- Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho
- Courtney L. Meehan
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University
- Malcolm R. Sears
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University
- Padmaja Subbarao
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University
- Meghan B. Azad
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba
- Lars Bode
- Department of Pediatrics and Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), Human Milk Institute (HMI), University of California San Diego
- Qingling Duan
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51743-6
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 15,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 15
Abstract
Abstract Breastfeeding provides many health benefits, but its impact on respiratory health remains unclear. This study addresses the complex and dynamic nature of the mother-milk-infant triad by investigating maternal genomic factors regulating human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and their associations with respiratory health among human milk-fed infants. Nineteen HMOs are quantified from 980 mothers of the CHILD Cohort Study. Genome-wide association studies identify HMO-associated loci on chromosome 19p13.3 and 19q13.33 (lowest P = 2.4e–118), spanning several fucosyltransferase (FUT) genes. We identify novel associations on chromosome 3q27.3 for 6′-sialyllactose (P = 2.2e–9) in the sialyltransferase (ST6GAL1) gene. These, plus additional associations on chromosomes 7q21.32, 7q31.32 and 13q33.3, are replicated in the independent INSPIRE Cohort. Moreover, gene-environment interaction analyses suggest that fucosylated HMOs may modulate overall risk of recurrent wheeze among preschoolers with variable genetic risk scores (P < 0.01). Thus, we report novel genetic factors associated with HMOs, some of which may protect the respiratory health of children.
