J Appl Biomed 16:232-240, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2018.02.001

Lectin-based analysis of human milk immunoglobulin G fucosylated variants in relation to milk maturation and perinatal risk factors

Jolanta Lis-Kuberka^a, Magdalena Orczyk-Pawiłowicz^a,*, Barbara Królak-Olejnik^b, Marta Berghausen-Mazur^c, Karolina Barańska^b, Iwona Kątnik-Prastowska^a

^a Wroclaw Medical University, Department of Chemistry and Immunochemistry, Wrocław, Poland

^b Wroclaw Medical University, Department and Clinic of Neonatology, Wrocław, Poland

^c Wroclaw Medical University, 1st Department and Clinic of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Wrocław, Poland

Background
Fucosylated glycotopes of milk immunoglobulin G (IgG) are ligands in reactions of biological recognition protecting newborns against infection and ensuring proper development.
Materials and methods
Relative amounts of IgG fucosyl-glycovariants in milk of mothers giving birth to term and premature newborns (term and preterm milk groups) were analysed by lectin-IgG-ELISA using α1,2-, α1,3-, and α1,6-fucose specific biotinylated Ulex europaeus (UEA), Tetragonolobus purpureus (LTA), and Lens culinaris (LCA) lectins, respectively.
Results
The term and preterm milk IgG glycovariants were highly reactive with UEA, LTA, and LCA, whereas maternal plasma IgG poorly or at all. During milk maturation the IgG of very preterm and preterm milk compared to term milk differed by lower relative amounts of UEA-, higher of LTA-, and nearly stable expression of LCA-reactive glycotopes. Moreover, lower α1,2- and higher α1,3- relative amounts of lectin-dependent milk IgG-fucosylated glycovariants were found to be associated with an infectious disease of lactating mothers.
Conclusion
The highly fucosylated glycovariants of human IgG given with mothers' milk to immunologically immature newborn seem to be bifunctional molecules with potential therapeutic properties. The analysis of fucosylation status of milk IgG by simple lectin-IgG-ELISA may be helpful to control the immunological quality of milk for milk banking.

Keywords: Fucosylation; Human lactation; Human milk; Immunoglobulin G; Lectins

Received: May 18, 2017; Revised: December 19, 2017; Accepted: February 1, 2018; Published: August 1, 2018  Show citation