A new study found that breastfeeding reduces the risk of intestinal disorders in children.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Saban Research Institute. Previous studies have found that infants, especially those born prematurely, are at increased risk for a potentially lethal gastrointestinal disease called necrotizing enterocolitis, also known as NEC. The researchers found that a protein called neuregulin-4 (NRG4) can help reduce this risk. However, this protein can be found only in breast milk and not in formula milk.
"Our research suggests that without the NRG4 protein found in breast milk, a normal protection mechanism for the immature gut may be missing," Mark R. Frey, the study's principal investigator at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, said in a press statement. "If a baby on formula encounters an NEC trigger such as intestinal infection or injury, he or she may be at increased risk for a life-threatening condition."
For the study, researchers conducted a series of experiments using rodent models, as well as in vitro analysis and examination of human breast milk and infant intestinal tissue. The rats that were fed only formula milk developed NEC but when they were fed formula along with NRG4, the chances of developing the disease decreased by a significant amount. Explaining the mechanism behind this, researchers noted that NRG4 binds specifically with a receptor found in the intestine, ErbB4, to block inflammatory intestinal damage. In addition, NRG4 was present in human breast milk samples but not formula.
"We're finding a protective protein in breast milk, with its receptor in the intestine," says Frey, who is also an assistant professor of Pediatrics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. "Given that NEC is a significant clinical problem without an effective treatment; we plan to evaluate NRG4 for its therapeutic potential in this disease."
According to statistics, more than 13 percent of babies with NEC die from the disease, and even survivors can face lifelong consequences that may include removal of part of their intestine and dependence upon intravenous nutrition.
Findings of the study were published online in the American Journal of Pathology. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, a Senior Research Award from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and a Research Career Development Award from The Saban Research Institute.
