Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) Symposia Abstracts

The term “oligosaccharide” (derived from the Greek olígos, meaning little or few, and sákkhar, meaning sugar) is generally used to describe a group of complex carbohydrates made of 3 to 6 simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose. Interestingly, breastmilk contains a diverse and unique set of oligosaccharides – collectively referred to as human milk oligosaccharides (HMO).

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complex sugars (carbohydrates) that represent the third most abundant component of human milk after lactose and lipids. More than 150 different and structurally distinct HMOs have been identified so far and accumulating evidence indicates strong structure-function relationships – in other words: different HMOs have different functions.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) have no nutritive value, yet mothers spend significant energy for their synthesis. So what do they do? Clinical observational studies together with basic research position HMO as multifunctional innate breastmilk component. They shape the establishing gut microbiota and supposedly help the development of appropriate immune competence.

HMO are the third most important component in human milk, more important as solid than protein fraction. And that is a big difference with infant formula and cow‘s milk, in which this part is not present.
The oligosaccharides are very complex,very abundant and the proportion is not similar during the whole period of lactation.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are abundant in human milk (5-20 g/L) and exert numerous beneficial effects. The two predominant HMO are lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and 2´-fucosyllactose (2´-FL), although 2´-FL presence depends upon maternal secretor type.

A number of benefits of breastfeeding, particularly protection against child infections, may be, at least partially, related to the presence of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Among others, the postulated effects of HMOs include prebiotic and antiadhesive/antimicrobial effects, modulation of intestinal epithelial cells, and immune modulation.