Human milk oligosaccharide composition, concentrations and association with maternal factors in the multi-ethnic Asian GUSTO cohort

Purpose To investigate the human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) composition, longitudinal change and the influence of maternal factors in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort. Methods In the prospective GUSTO mother-offspring cohort, maternal sociodemographic, genetic, and obstetric characteristics were related to the concentrations of the 19 most-abundant HMOs (quantified by HPLC, n = 248 mothers) at 3-weeks ( n = 205) and 3-months ( n = 114) postpartum (71 matched cases, 28.6%). Results Mothers providing samples were Chinese (73.8%), Malay (14.5%) and Indian (11.7%). Across ethnicities, individual HMO concentrations and proportions of secretors, were comparable. Approximately 70% were secretors, determined by distinctly higher 2′-fucosyllactose (2’-FL, 3-weeks: 16.0% of total HMO; 3-months: 10.4%) and lacto-N-fucopentaose-I (LNFP-I), compared with non-secretors (2’-FL, 3-weeks, 0.3%; 3-months: 0.2%). 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL) comprised 9.5% and 21.7% of total HMO concentration in secretors and non-secretors, respectively, at 3-weeks, and 30.4% and 42.9%, respectively, at 3-months. Compared with term, preterm cases had higher 3′-sialyllactose (3′SL) at 3-weeks [adjusted mean difference 1.23 SDs (95%CI 0.44–2.01); p = 0.002]. Longitudinal changes in individual HMO concentrations from 3-weeks to 3-months were generally consistent across secretor groups. HMO-secretor-phenotype showed 97% concordance with status predicted by the FUT2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1047781. Conclusion Chinese, Malay and Indian women exhibited similar HMO compositions, with the FUT2 rs1047781 SNP being a strong determinant of secretor status. Preterm delivery may influence specific early postpartum HMO concentrations, including a higher 3′SL concentration. The concentration of 2’-FL was lower, while 3-FL was higher, compared with published reports on non-Asians, suggesting multi-ethnic studies of infant nutrition and health should consider Asian HMO biology.