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Comparative Study
. 2018 Sep 5;10(9):1235.
doi: 10.3390/nu10091235.

Concentration of Lactoferrin in Human Milk and Its Variation during Lactation in Different Chinese Populations

Zhenyu Yang  1 , Rulan Jiang  2 , Qi Chen  3 , Jie Wang  4 , Yifan Duan  5 , Xuehong Pang  6 , Shan Jiang  7 , Ye Bi  8 , Huanmei Zhang  9 , Bo Lönnerdal  10 , Jianqiang Lai  11 , Shian Yin  12
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Concentration of Lactoferrin in Human Milk and Its Variation during Lactation in Different Chinese Populations

Zhenyu Yang et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Lactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional protein and one of the most abundant proteins in human milk. Various factors may affect its concentration in human milk, such as stage of lactation, ethnicity, and diet.

Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to examine the dynamic change in milk Lf throughout the course of lactation and explore factors associated with milk Lf concentrations in various Chinese populations.

Methods: This investigation was a part of a large cross-sectional study conducted in 11 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities (Beijing, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Shanghai, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Zhejiang) across China between 2011 and 2013. Lactating women (n = 6481) within 0⁻330 days postpartum were recruited in the original study. A sub-sample of 824 women was randomly selected, and milk Lf concentrations were determined by UPLC/MS.

Results: The Lf concentration in milk from women delivering at term was 3.16 g/L, 1.73 g/L and 0.90 g/L for colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk, respectively. Lf concentrations differed significantly between stages of lactation (colostrum vs. transitional milk, colostrum vs. mature milk, transitional milk vs. mature milk, all p < 0.001). Maternal BMI, age, mode of delivery, parturition, protein intake, and serum albumin concentration were not correlated with milk Lf concentration. However, milk Lf concentrations varied among different geographical regions (Guangdong (1.91 g/L) vs. Heilongjiang (1.44 g/L), p = 0.037; Guangdong (1.91 g/L) vs. Gansu (1.43 g/L), p = 0.041) and ethnicities (Dai (1.80 g/L) vs. Tibetan (0.99 g/L), p = 0.007; Han (1.62 g/L) vs. Tibetan (0.99 g/L), p = 0.002) in China.

Conclusions: The concentration of Lf in human milk changes dynamically throughout lactation. Few maternal characteristics affect the milk Lf concentration, but it varies across different geographical regions and ethnicities in China.

Keywords: Chinese populations; Lactoferrin; breast milk; concentration; maternal factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Milk Lf concentrations change among various lactation stages in Chinese populations. (A) Concentrations of Lf in term and preterm milk from three lactation stages. Data are representative of median (P25, P75). n = 198, 218, 365 for term colostrum, transitional, and mature milk, and n = 9, 8, 26 for preterm colostrum, transitional, and mature milk; overall p < 0.001; colostrum vs. transitional milk, colostrum vs. mature milk, transitional milk vs. mature milk, all p < 0.001, ANOVA with the Tukey adjusted method was used. (B) Milk Lf concentrations during the whole course of lactation. 0–7 days (n = 207), 8–10 days (n = 99), 11–13 days (n = 95), 14–16 days (n = 72), 17–30 days (n = 68), 31–90 days (n = 72), 91–150 days (n = 72), 151–240 days (n = 67), and 241–330 days (n = 72). Data are representative of means ± SD.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The amount of milk expressed from one breast and the relationship with milk Lf concentration. (A) The amount of milk expressed from one breast, which is shown as median (P25, P75). (B) Relationship between the amount of milk expressed from one breast and milk Lf concentration.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Milk Lf concentrations among various geographical regions and ethnicities in China (A) Average milk Lf concentrations from three lactation stages in 11 regions, overall p = 0.02, Guangdong vs. Heilongjiang, p = 0.037; Guangdong vs. Gansu p = 0.041. (B) Average milk Lf concentrations in different Chinese populations, overall p = 0.01, Dai vs. Tibetan, p = 0.007; Han vs. Tibetan, p = 0.002. General linear model with Tukey adjusted method was used. Data are shown as means ± SD.
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