Review

. 2017 Aug 17;9(8):894.

doi: 10.3390/nu9080894.

Human Milk and Allergic Diseases: An Unsolved Puzzle

Daniel Munblit^{1

2

3}, Diego G Peroni^{4

5}, Alba Boix-Amorós^{6

7}, Peter S Hsu^{8

9}, Belinda Van't Land^{10

11}, Melvin C L Gay^{12

13}, Anastasia Kolotilina¹⁴, Chrysanthi Skevaki^{15

16}, Robert J Boyle^{17

18}, Maria Carmen Collado^{19

20}, Johan Garssen^{21

22}, Donna T Geddes^{23

24}, Ralph Nanan²⁵, Carolyn Slupsky²⁶, Ganesa Wegienka^{27

28

29}, Anita L Kozyrskyj³⁰, John O Warner^{31

32

33}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK. daniel.munblit08@imperial.ac.uk.
² Faculty of Pediatrics, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia. daniel.munblit08@imperial.ac.uk.
³ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. daniel.munblit08@imperial.ac.uk.
⁴ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. diego.peroni@unipi.it.
⁵ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Paediatrics, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy. diego.peroni@unipi.it.
⁶ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. albaboix90@gmail.com.
⁷ Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain. albaboix90@gmail.com.
⁸ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. peter.hsu@health.nsw.gov.au.
⁹ Allergy and Immunology, The Kids Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia. peter.hsu@health.nsw.gov.au.
¹⁰ Nutricia Research, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands. Belinda.vantland@danone.com.
¹¹ Department of Paediatric Immunology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands. Belinda.vantland@danone.com.
¹² The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. melvin.gay@uwa.edu.au.
¹³ School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia. melvin.gay@uwa.edu.au.
¹⁴ Faculty of Pediatrics, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia. aikolotilina@yandex.ru.
¹⁵ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. Chrysanthi.Skevaki@uk-gm.de.
¹⁶ Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH Baldingerstr, 35043 Marburg, Germany. Chrysanthi.Skevaki@uk-gm.de.
¹⁷ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK. r.boyle@nhs.net.
¹⁸ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. r.boyle@nhs.net.
¹⁹ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. mcolam@iata.csic.es.
²⁰ Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain. mcolam@iata.csic.es.
²¹ Nutricia Research, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands. johan.garssen@danone.com.
²² Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands. johan.garssen@danone.com.
²³ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. Donna.Geddes@uwa.edu.au.
²⁴ School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia. Donna.Geddes@uwa.edu.au.
²⁵ Charles Perkins Centre Nepean, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2747, Australia. ralph.nanan@sydney.edu.au.
²⁶ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA. cslupsky@ucdavis.edu.
²⁷ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. gwegien1@hfhs.org.
²⁸ Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. gwegien1@hfhs.org.
²⁹ Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. gwegien1@hfhs.org.
³⁰ Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada. kozyrsky@ualberta.ca.
³¹ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK. j.o.warner@imperial.ac.uk.
³² The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. j.o.warner@imperial.ac.uk.
³³ National Institute for Health Research, Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for NW London, London SW10 9NH, UK. j.o.warner@imperial.ac.uk.

PMID: 28817095
PMCID: PMC5579687
DOI: 10.3390/nu9080894

Review

Human Milk and Allergic Diseases: An Unsolved Puzzle

Daniel Munblit et al. Nutrients. 2017.

. 2017 Aug 17;9(8):894.

doi: 10.3390/nu9080894.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK. daniel.munblit08@imperial.ac.uk.
² Faculty of Pediatrics, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia. daniel.munblit08@imperial.ac.uk.
³ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. daniel.munblit08@imperial.ac.uk.
⁴ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. diego.peroni@unipi.it.
⁵ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Paediatrics, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy. diego.peroni@unipi.it.
⁶ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. albaboix90@gmail.com.
⁷ Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain. albaboix90@gmail.com.
⁸ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. peter.hsu@health.nsw.gov.au.
⁹ Allergy and Immunology, The Kids Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia. peter.hsu@health.nsw.gov.au.
¹⁰ Nutricia Research, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands. Belinda.vantland@danone.com.
¹¹ Department of Paediatric Immunology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands. Belinda.vantland@danone.com.
¹² The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. melvin.gay@uwa.edu.au.
¹³ School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia. melvin.gay@uwa.edu.au.
¹⁴ Faculty of Pediatrics, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia. aikolotilina@yandex.ru.
¹⁵ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. Chrysanthi.Skevaki@uk-gm.de.
¹⁶ Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH Baldingerstr, 35043 Marburg, Germany. Chrysanthi.Skevaki@uk-gm.de.
¹⁷ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK. r.boyle@nhs.net.
¹⁸ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. r.boyle@nhs.net.
¹⁹ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. mcolam@iata.csic.es.
²⁰ Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain. mcolam@iata.csic.es.
²¹ Nutricia Research, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands. johan.garssen@danone.com.
²² Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands. johan.garssen@danone.com.
²³ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. Donna.Geddes@uwa.edu.au.
²⁴ School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia. Donna.Geddes@uwa.edu.au.
²⁵ Charles Perkins Centre Nepean, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2747, Australia. ralph.nanan@sydney.edu.au.
²⁶ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA. cslupsky@ucdavis.edu.
²⁷ The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. gwegien1@hfhs.org.
²⁸ Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. gwegien1@hfhs.org.
²⁹ Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. gwegien1@hfhs.org.
³⁰ Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada. kozyrsky@ualberta.ca.
³¹ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK. j.o.warner@imperial.ac.uk.
³² The In-FLAME Global Network, an Affiliate of the World Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA. j.o.warner@imperial.ac.uk.
³³ National Institute for Health Research, Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for NW London, London SW10 9NH, UK. j.o.warner@imperial.ac.uk.

PMID: 28817095
PMCID: PMC5579687
DOI: 10.3390/nu9080894

Abstract

There is conflicting evidence on the protective role of breastfeeding in relation to the development of allergic sensitisation and allergic disease. Studies vary in methodology and definition of outcomes, which lead to considerable heterogeneity. Human milk composition varies both within and between individuals, which may partially explain conflicting data. It is known that human milk composition is very complex and contains variable levels of immune active molecules, oligosaccharides, metabolites, vitamins and other nutrients and microbial content. Existing evidence suggests that modulation of human breast milk composition has potential for preventing allergic diseases in early life. In this review, we discuss associations between breastfeeding/human milk composition and allergy development.

Keywords: allergic diseases; allergy; breastfeeding; cytokines; human milk; microbiome; oligosaccharides; thymus.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Maternal, environmental and human milk composition factors influence on immunological outcomes in child.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Asher M.I., Montefort S., Bjorksten B., Lai C.K., Strachan D.P., Weiland S.K., Williams H., ISAAC Phase Three Study Group Worldwide time trends in the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in childhood: Isaac phases one and three repeat multicountry cross-sectional surveys. Lancet. 2006;368:733–743. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69283-0. - DOI - PubMed
1. Williams H., Robertson C., Stewart A., Ait-Khaled N., Anabwani G., Anderson R., Asher I., Beasley R., Bjorksten B., Burr M., et al. Worldwide variations in the prevalence of symptoms of atopic eczema in the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 1999;103:125–138. doi: 10.1016/S0091-6749(99)70536-1. - DOI - PubMed
1. Kung S.J., Steenhoff A.P., Gray C. Food allergy in africa: Myth or reality? Clin. Rev. Allergy Immunol. 2014;46:241–249. doi: 10.1007/s12016-012-8341-z. - DOI - PubMed
1. Strachan D.P. Hay fever, hygiene, and household size. BMJ. 1989;299:1259–1260. doi: 10.1136/bmj.299.6710.1259. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Strachan D.P. Family size, infection and atopy: The first decade of the “hygiene hypothesis”. Thorax. 2000;55:S2–S10. doi: 10.1136/thorax.55.suppl_1.S2. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Substances

Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
- scite Smart Citations
Medical
- MedlinePlus Health Information

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Human Milk and Allergic Diseases: An Unsolved Puzzle

Affiliations

Human Milk and Allergic Diseases: An Unsolved Puzzle

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical