Free amino acids in milks of human subjects, other primates and non-primates.
Abstract: Preterm and term transitional milks of human subjects and mature milks of human subjects, non-human primates and non-primates were analysed for free amino acids (AA) using precolumn phenylisothiocyanate derivatization and liquid chromatography. Differences in free AA between three types of human milk were small. Milks of pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) contained the highest levels of total free AA (8634-20,862 mumol/l), while the milks of cows and sheep had the lowest levels of total free AA (1061-1357 mumol/l). The milks of human subjects, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), elephants (Elephas maximus), horses and pigs had intermediate levels of total free AA (3069-7381 mumol/l). Glutamic acid was the most abundant free AA in milks of human subjects (1339-2157 mumol/l), non-human primates (423-2528 mumol/l), elephants (1332 mumol/l), horses (1119 mumol/l), and cows (349 mumol/l). Taurine was the most abundant free AA in milks of pinnipeds (5776-13,643 mumol/l), pigs (1238 mumol/l), goats (1150 mumol/l) and sheep (341 mumol/l). Taurine was the second most abundant free AA in milks of human subjects and non-human primates, while histidine was the second most abundant free AA in milks of pinnipeds. Milks of each species had a distinctive free AA pattern which may reflect the relative importance of the free AA during early postnatal development.
Publication Date: 1998-04-16 PubMed ID: 9536856DOI: 10.1079/bjn19980023Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article studies the levels and types of free amino acids in the milk of various species, including humans, non-human primates, and non-primates. The researchers used specific scientific methods to analyze the free amino acids and observed that the milks of each species had unique amino acid patterns.
Methodology
- The researchers gathered samples of preterm and term transitional milks from humans, along with mature milks from non-human primates and non-primate species.
- They then used a method called precolumn phenylisothiocyanate derivatization and liquid chromatography to analyse the free amino acids in these samples.
Results and Observations
- The study found that the differences in free amino acids between the three types of human milk were minor.
- The milks from pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) contained the highest levels of total free amino acids, with concentrates ranging from 8634 to 20,862 micro-mol/liter.
- The milks of cows and sheep had the lowest levels of total free amino acids, measured at 1061-1357 micro-mol/liter.
- Intermediate levels of total free amino acids (3069-7381 micro-mol/liter) were found in the milk from human subjects, chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants, horses, and pigs.
- Glutamic acid was the most abundant free amino acid in milks of humans, non-human primates, elephants, horses, and cows.
- Taurine was the most abundant free amino acid in milks of pinnipeds, pigs, goats, and sheep. It was also the second most abundant in human and non-human primate milks.
- For pinniped milk, histidine was the second most abundant free amino acid.
Conclusions
- The study concludes that the milks of each species had distinct free amino acid patterns. This pattern could potentially reflect the relative importance of the free amino acids during the early stage of postnatal development for each species.
- Understanding the specific amino acid content in different types of milk can be crucial because amino acids play fundamental roles in growth, immunity, and overall health across species.
Cite This Article
APA
Sarwar G, Botting HG, Davis TA, Darling P, Pencharz PB.
(1998).
Free amino acids in milks of human subjects, other primates and non-primates.
Br J Nutr, 79(2), 129-131.
https://doi.org/10.1079/bjn19980023 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Nutrition Research Division, Health Canada (AL:2203 C), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. SAWAR_GILANI@INET.HWC.CA
MeSH Terms
- Amino Acids / analysis
- Animals
- Caniformia
- Cattle
- Elephants
- Glutamic Acid / analysis
- Gorilla gorilla
- Histidine / analysis
- Horses
- Humans
- Milk / chemistry
- Milk, Human / chemistry
- Pan troglodytes
- Sheep
- Species Specificity
- Swine
- Taurine / analysis
Grant Funding
- R01 AR044474 / NIAMS NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Penhaligan J, Poppitt SD, Miles-Chan JL. The Role of Bovine and Non-Bovine Milk in Cardiometabolic Health: Should We Raise the "Baa"?. Nutrients 2022 Jan 11;14(2).
- van Sadelhoff JHJ, Mastorakou D, Weenen H, Stahl B, Garssen J, Hartog A. Short Communication: Differences in Levels of Free Amino Acids and Total Protein in Human Foremilk and Hindmilk.. Nutrients 2018 Nov 26;10(12).
- van Sadelhoff JHJ, van de Heijning BJM, Stahl B, Amodio S, Rings EHHM, Mearin ML, Garssen J, Hartog A. Longitudinal Variation of Amino Acid Levels in Human Milk and Their Associations with Infant Gender.. Nutrients 2018 Sep 5;10(9).
- Dror DK, Allen LH. Overview of Nutrients in Human Milk.. Adv Nutr 2018 May 1;9(suppl_1):278S-294S.
- Roucher VF, Desnots E, Naël C, Agnoux AM, Alexandre-Gouabau MC, Darmaun D, Boquien CY. Use of UPLC-ESI-MS/MS to quantitate free amino acid concentrations in micro-samples of mammalian milk.. Springerplus 2013;2:622.
- Andersson M, Karlsson O, Bergström U, Brittebo EB, Brandt I. Maternal transfer of the cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) via milk to suckling offspring.. PLoS One 2013;8(10):e78133.
- Bauchart-Thevret C, Stoll B, Benight NM, Olutoye O, Lazar D, Burrin DG. Supplementing monosodium glutamate to partial enteral nutrition slows gastric emptying in preterm pigs(1-3).. J Nutr 2013 May;143(5):563-70.
- Gunnerud U, Holst JJ, Östman E, Björck I. The glycemic, insulinemic and plasma amino acid responses to equi-carbohydrate milk meals, a pilot- study of bovine and human milk.. Nutr J 2012 Oct 12;11:83.
- Manso HE, Filho HC, de Carvalho LE, Kutschenko M, Nogueira ET, Watford M. Glutamine and glutamate supplementation raise milk glutamine concentrations in lactating gilts.. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2012 Feb 28;3(1):2.
- Mennella JA, Forestell CA, Morgan LK, Beauchamp GK. Early milk feeding influences taste acceptance and liking during infancy.. Am J Clin Nutr 2009 Sep;90(3):780S-788S.
- Sharp JA, Lefèvre C, Nicholas KR. Lack of functional alpha-lactalbumin prevents involution in Cape fur seals and identifies the protein as an apoptotic milk factor in mammary gland involution.. BMC Biol 2008 Nov 6;6:48.
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