Bacterial imprinting of the neonatal immune system via breast milk leukocytes?

PEREZ, P. F.; DORÉ, J.; LECLERC, M.; LEVENEZ, F.; BENYACOUB, J.; SERRANT, P.; SEGURA-ROGGERO, I.; SCHIFFRIN, E. J. AND DONNET-HUGHES, A.

Boston

Congreso; VI International Neonatal Hematology and Immunology Meeting; 2008

A major challenge to the intestinal immune system occurs immediately after birth when a wide spectrum of microbes attempt to colonize the sterile, immature gut. In the healthy newborn,  this inexperienced immune system appears to distinguish between the diverse microbes, allowing colonization by some microorganisms and initiating active defence against potential pathogens. Since these divergent processes allow establishment of the microbiota without any clinical manifestations of inflammation, adequate regulatory mechanisms must already be active.  However,  the observation that breast-fed infants have a different intestinal microbiota and lower incidence of infection and disease than formula-fed infants, suggests that additional regulation is mediated postnatally by breast milk.  Several studies describe the presence of commensal bacteria in human milk.  While the majority of these are considered to be contaminants from the mother’s skin or the infant’s mouth, some authors suggest that certain milk bacteria colonize the neonatal intestine and provide protection.