Influence of breastfeeding and mother's diet on infants' allergy

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17996
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition
• Principal Investigator: Matsunaga Ayu 国立研究開発法人医薬基盤・健康・栄養研究所, 医薬基盤研究所 ワクチン・アジュバント研究センター, 特任研究員 (40802591)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 母子栄養 / 乳幼児アレルギー / 母乳 / 核酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated that the effects of maternal diet and breastfeeding on the development of allergies in infants by comprehensive analysis of human samples and elucidation of the causal relationship by animal experiments.
We showed that nucleic acid components in breast milk might influence allergic development in infants by statistical analysis of human sample data. Furthermore, we revealed that there was a positive correlation between the nucleic acid components in breast milk and the maternal intake of β-carotene. In mouse experiments, the content of nucleic acid components in breast milk did not affect by β-carotene ingestion in dam. But it was suggested that dam's intake of β-carotene may suppress allergic symptoms in pups.

Free Research Field

栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究を通して見出された母乳中核酸成分は、アレルギー児に比べて健常児において多く含まれていたことから、乳幼児のアレルギー発症を抑制する因子である可能性が示唆された。今後、本研究から得られたデータを基盤として、母乳中核酸成分の関与について検体数を増やして解析するとともに、マウス実験を継続していくことで「食餌性βカロテン→母乳中核酸→乳幼児アレルギー発症の予防」へと繋がるカスケード反応のメカニズムを解明出来ると期待される。