Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Colostrum and Mature Milk of Chinese Mothers: Lewis Positive Secretor Subgroups

To study the variability in human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) composition of Chinese human milk over a 20-wk lactation period, HMO profiles of 30 mothers were analyzed using CE-LIF. This study showed that total HMO concentrations in Chinese human milk decreased significantly over a 20-wk lactation period, independent of the mother's SeLe status, although with individual variations. In addition, total acidic and neutral HMO concentrations in Chinese human milk decreased over lactation, and levels are driven by their mother's SeLe status. Analysis showed that total neutral fucosylated HMO concentrations in Chinese human milk were higher in the two secretor groups as compared to the nonsecretor group. On the basis of the total neutral fucosylated HMO concentrations in Chinese human milk, HMO profiles within the Se⁺Le⁺ group can be divided into two subgroups. HMOs that differed in level between Se⁺Le⁺ subgroups were 2'FL, DF-L, LNFP I, and F-LNO. HMO profiles in Dutch human milk also showed Se⁺Le⁺ subgroup division, with 2'FL, LNT, and F-LNO as the driving force.