Lipidomic analyses, breast- and formula-feeding, and growth in infants
In: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/246144
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lipidomic differences between breast- and formula-fed infants. STUDY DESIGN: We utilized high-resolution mass-spectrometry methods to analyze 3.2 mm dried blood spot samples collected at ages 3 months (n = 241) and 12 months (n = 144) from a representative birth cohort study. Lipidomic profiles were compared between infants exclusively breast-fed, formula-fed, or mixed-fed, and related to 12-month infancy weight. Data analysis included supervised multivariate statistics (partial least squares discriminant analysis), and univariate analysis with correction for multiple testing. RESULTS: Distinct differences in 3-month lipidomic profiles were observed between exclusively breast-fed and formula-fed infants; mixed-fed infants showed intermediate profiles. Principle lipidomic characteristics of breast-fed infants were lower total phosphatidylcholines (PCs), with specifically lower short chain unsaturated PC but higher long chain polyunsaturated PC; higher cholesterol esters; and variable differences in sphingomyelins. At 12 months, lipidomic profiles were markedly different to those at 3 months, and differences between the earlier breast/formula/mixed-feeding groups were no longer evident. However, several specific lipid species, associated with breast-feeding at 3 months, also correlated with differences in 3- to 12-month weight. CONCLUSIONS: State-of-the-art dried blood spot sample lipidomic profiling demonstrated striking differences between breast-fed and formula-fed infants. Although these changes diminished with age, breast-fed lipidomic profiles at 3 months were associated with infancy weight and could potentially represent biomarkers of infant nutrition. ; PP was supported by a UK MRC Clinical Training Fellowship (G1001995). The Cambridge Baby Growth Study has been supported by the European Union, the World Cancer Research Foundation International, the Medical Research Council (including a centenary award), and the NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre. The lipidomics assays were supported by the Medical Research Council (UD99999906 and Cambridge Lipidomics Biomarker Research Initiative G0800783). ; This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.10.021