Pediatr. praxi. 2023;24(5):316-320 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2023.080

Immunomodulatory effect of human milk oligosaccharides and their potential role in allergic disease prevention

MUDr. Jakub Pecl, MBA^{1, 2}, MUDr. Matěj Hrunka^{1, 2}, MUDr. Tereza Pinkasová^{1, 2}

¹ Pediatrická klinika, Fakultní nemocnice Brno

² Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity v Brně

The prevalence of allergic diseases is currently reaching epidemic proportions. It is estimated that nearly 1 billion of the global population suffer from some of these diseases worldwide, with allergic diseases being among the most common chronic diseases in developed countries. After the increase in respiratory allergic diseases, food allergies are referred to as the second wave of this epidemic increase. Given the practical absence of the possibility of causal treatment to date, emphasis is placed on the possibilities of primary and secondary prevention especially of food allergies. The use of specific dietary components in early childhood, which could help prevent or reduce the severity of allergic diseases, is a promising option for long-term influence on the developing immune system of children. Breast milk is a unique body fluid containing a complex mixture of oligosaccharides providing everything necessary for the optimal growth and development of the child, and this fact is also illustrated by the recommendation of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 4-6 months as part of the primary prevention of allergic diseases. Oligosaccharides of breast milk are considered one of its key components having complex biological effects, and yet they are not included in the majority of currently available infant formulas. We present a summary of knowledge about the oligosaccharides of human milk, which are newly available for the nutrition of artificially fed infants as part of some milk formulas in an effort to make numerous benefits available even to children who cannot be breastfed.

Keywords: oligosaccharides, human milk, allergy, cow's milk, microbiome, tolerance.

Accepted: October 9, 2023; Published: October 13, 2023  Show citation