Breast milk oligosaccharides: effects of 2′-fucosyllactose and 6′-sialyllactose on the adhesion of Escherichia coli and Salmonella fyris to Caco-2 cells

Abstract

Background: It is well known that human milk oligosaccharides play an important role as prebiotics, anti-inflammatory, and anti-infective agents. In the last few years, several studies have been performed using specific oligosaccharides, such as 2′-fucosyllactose and 6′-sialylactose, to evaluate their biological functions.

Objectives: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the anti-adhesive effect of the above oligosaccharides on Escherichia coli and Salmonella fyris.

Methods: Adhesion experiments were performed in the presence of 2′-fucosyllactose and 6′-sialyllactose as potential inhibitors of Escherichia coli and Salmonella fyris adhesion to Caco-2 cells. The oligosaccharides were used at different concentrations and the adhesion experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated at least three times.

Results: A significant reduction of Escherichia coli adhesion was observed in the presence of 2′-fucosyllactose and 6′-sialyllactose at the human milk concentration. On the contrary, no positive effects were observed in both oligosaccharides on Salmonella firis.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that the supplementation in infant formulas of 2′-fucosyllactose and 6′-sialyllactose, actually commercially available and absent in cow milk, could play positive effects in artificially fed infants.

Keywords:

• Human milk oligosaccharides
• anti-adhesive effect
• 2′-fucosyllactose
• 6′-sialyllactose

Acknowledgements

The authors thank INALCO, SpA, Milan, Italy for the generous gift of 2′-FL and 6′-FL.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support was obtained from Mancini Foundation, Fabriano, Italy.