Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.

Extremely preterm infants are highly susceptible to bacterial infections but breast milk provides some protection. It is unknown if leukocyte numbers and subsets in milk differ between term and preterm breast milk. This study serially characterised leukocyte populations in breast milk of mothers of...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stephanie Trend, Emma de Jong, Megan L Lloyd, Chooi Heen Kok, Peter Richmond, Dorota A Doherty, Karen Simmer, Foteini Kakulas, Tobias Strunk, Andrew Currie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4545889?pdf=render
_version_ 1828524208901062656
author Stephanie Trend
Emma de Jong
Megan L Lloyd
Chooi Heen Kok
Peter Richmond
Dorota A Doherty
Karen Simmer
Foteini Kakulas
Tobias Strunk
Andrew Currie
author_facet Stephanie Trend
Emma de Jong
Megan L Lloyd
Chooi Heen Kok
Peter Richmond
Dorota A Doherty
Karen Simmer
Foteini Kakulas
Tobias Strunk
Andrew Currie
author_sort Stephanie Trend
collection DOAJ
description Extremely preterm infants are highly susceptible to bacterial infections but breast milk provides some protection. It is unknown if leukocyte numbers and subsets in milk differ between term and preterm breast milk. This study serially characterised leukocyte populations in breast milk of mothers of preterm and term infants using multicolour flow cytometry methods for extended differential leukocyte counts in blood.Sixty mothers of extremely preterm (<28 weeks gestational age), very preterm (28-31 wk), and moderately preterm (32-36 wk), as well as term (37-41 wk) infants were recruited. Colostrum (d2-5), transitional (d8-12) and mature milk (d26-30) samples were collected, cells isolated, and leukocyte subsets analysed using flow cytometry.The major CD45+ leukocyte populations circulating in blood were also detectable in breast milk but at different frequencies. Progression of lactation was associated with decreasing CD45+ leukocyte concentration, as well as increases in the relative frequencies of neutrophils and immature granulocytes, and decreases in the relative frequencies of eosinophils, myeloid and B cell precursors, and CD16- monocytes. No differences were observed between preterm and term breast milk in leukocyte concentration, though minor differences between preterm groups in some leukocyte frequencies were observed.Flow cytometry is a useful tool to identify and quantify leukocyte subsets in breast milk. The stage of lactation is associated with major changes in milk leukocyte composition in this population. Fresh preterm breast milk is not deficient in leukocytes, but shorter gestation may be associated with minor differences in leukocyte subset frequencies in preterm compared to term breast milk.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T20:43:21Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7f6cc22a8cd843c2be4244a398884f50
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-11T20:43:21Z
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-7f6cc22a8cd843c2be4244a398884f502022-12-22T00:51:26ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01108e013558010.1371/journal.pone.0135580Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.Stephanie TrendEmma de JongMegan L LloydChooi Heen KokPeter RichmondDorota A DohertyKaren SimmerFoteini KakulasTobias StrunkAndrew CurrieExtremely preterm infants are highly susceptible to bacterial infections but breast milk provides some protection. It is unknown if leukocyte numbers and subsets in milk differ between term and preterm breast milk. This study serially characterised leukocyte populations in breast milk of mothers of preterm and term infants using multicolour flow cytometry methods for extended differential leukocyte counts in blood.Sixty mothers of extremely preterm (<28 weeks gestational age), very preterm (28-31 wk), and moderately preterm (32-36 wk), as well as term (37-41 wk) infants were recruited. Colostrum (d2-5), transitional (d8-12) and mature milk (d26-30) samples were collected, cells isolated, and leukocyte subsets analysed using flow cytometry.The major CD45+ leukocyte populations circulating in blood were also detectable in breast milk but at different frequencies. Progression of lactation was associated with decreasing CD45+ leukocyte concentration, as well as increases in the relative frequencies of neutrophils and immature granulocytes, and decreases in the relative frequencies of eosinophils, myeloid and B cell precursors, and CD16- monocytes. No differences were observed between preterm and term breast milk in leukocyte concentration, though minor differences between preterm groups in some leukocyte frequencies were observed.Flow cytometry is a useful tool to identify and quantify leukocyte subsets in breast milk. The stage of lactation is associated with major changes in milk leukocyte composition in this population. Fresh preterm breast milk is not deficient in leukocytes, but shorter gestation may be associated with minor differences in leukocyte subset frequencies in preterm compared to term breast milk.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4545889?pdf=render
spellingShingle Stephanie Trend
Emma de Jong
Megan L Lloyd
Chooi Heen Kok
Peter Richmond
Dorota A Doherty
Karen Simmer
Foteini Kakulas
Tobias Strunk
Andrew Currie
Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.
PLoS ONE
title Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.
title_full Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.
title_fullStr Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.
title_full_unstemmed Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.
title_short Leukocyte Populations in Human Preterm and Term Breast Milk Identified by Multicolour Flow Cytometry.
title_sort leukocyte populations in human preterm and term breast milk identified by multicolour flow cytometry
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4545889?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT stephanietrend leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT emmadejong leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT meganllloyd leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT chooiheenkok leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT peterrichmond leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT dorotaadoherty leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT karensimmer leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT foteinikakulas leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT tobiasstrunk leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry
AT andrewcurrie leukocytepopulationsinhumanpretermandtermbreastmilkidentifiedbymulticolourflowcytometry