Department of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Chuo-Shi, Japan.
Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2011 Dec;22(8):853-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2011.01194.x. Epub 2011 Sep 19.
Cytokines in breast milk may play crucial roles in the beneficial effects of breastfeeding in protecting against allergic and infectious diseases in infants. In particular, breast milk-borne transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) has an important potential role in developing the mucosal immune system in infants. However, little is known about what factors influence TGF-β expression in human milk. We investigated whether the behavioral and psychosocial characteristics of mothers affect breast milk TGF-β levels.
We conducted a survey of all 139 mothers who were lactating between February and October 2010 in Koshu City, Japan. Participants completed a questionnaire and provided breast milk at the health checkups for their 3-month-old child (N = 129, 93%). Breast milk was assayed for total TGF-β2 levels by ELISA. We took an exploratory approach based on linear and ordered logistic regressions to model TGF-β2 concentrations with their multiple potential determinants.
Mothers with depression or poor self-rated health had higher TGF-β2 concentrations than mothers without depression (odds ratio for a higher TGF-β2 quartile: 3.11, 95% confidence intervals: 1.03-9.37) or those reporting better health (odds ratio: 2.34, 1.21-4.55). Smoking, drinking alcohol, probiotics supplementation, social support, and maternal history of allergic diseases were not associated with milk TGF-β2 levels. Milk gathered between August and October or later in the afternoon (3-4 pm vs. 12-2 pm) contained less TGF-β2.
Depression, as the consequence of psychosocial stress, may be a strong determinant of TGF-β levels in breast milk. Seasonal and daily fluctuations in milk TGF-β2 concentrations warrant further study.
母乳中的细胞因子在母乳喂养对婴儿过敏和感染性疾病的有益作用中可能发挥关键作用。特别是，母乳来源的转化生长因子-β（TGF-β）在婴儿黏膜免疫系统的发育中具有重要的潜在作用。然而，对于哪些因素影响人乳中的 TGF-β表达知之甚少。我们研究了母亲的行为和社会心理特征是否会影响母乳 TGF-β水平。
我们对 2010 年 2 月至 10 月期间在日本甲州市母乳喂养的 139 位母亲进行了一项调查。参与者完成了一份问卷，并在他们 3 个月大的孩子的健康检查时提供了母乳（N=129，93%）。通过 ELISA 法测定母乳中总 TGF-β2 水平。我们采用线性和有序逻辑回归的探索性方法，用其多个潜在决定因素来模拟 TGF-β2 浓度。
患有抑郁症或自评健康状况较差的母亲的 TGF-β2 浓度高于没有抑郁症的母亲（更高 TGF-β2 四分位数的优势比：3.11，95%置信区间：1.03-9.37）或报告健康状况更好的母亲（优势比：2.34，1.21-4.55）。吸烟、饮酒、益生菌补充剂、社会支持以及母亲过敏病史与乳汁 TGF-β2 水平无关。8 月至 10 月或下午较晚（3-4 点与 12-2 点）采集的母乳中 TGF-β2 含量较低。
作为社会心理压力的结果，抑郁症可能是母乳中 TGF-β 水平的一个重要决定因素。母乳 TGF-β2 浓度的季节性和日间波动值得进一步研究。
