Abstract
Gastric proteolysis is assumed to be low in the newborn (Britton & Koldovsky 1989). Postprandial pepsin output is significantly lower in preterm infants than adults, 589 vs. 3352U/kg, respectively (Armand et al. 1995, 1996). We now report on gastric proteolysis in preterm infants (gestation age, 29 weeks; postnatal age, 5-6 weeks) gavage-fed mother’s milk or preemie formula. The data show that a) the nonprotein component is higher in human milk than formula, b) net proteolysis amounts to 15% of protein, c) gastric proteolysis is lower than lipolysis and, contrary to the latter, is not enhanced by milk feeding (Armand et al. 1996). We suggest that stomach pH, enzyme output, and food structure are the reasons for differences in gastric digestion of protein and fat in infants.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adamson I, Esangbedo A, Okolo AA, Omene JA. Pepsin and its multiple forms in early life. Biol Neonate 1988;53:267–273.
Agunod M, Yamaguchi N, Lopez R, Luhby AL, Jerzy Glass GB. Correlative study of hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and intrinsic factor secretion in newborns and infants. Am J Dig Dis 1969;14:400–414.
Armand M, Hamosh M, DiPalma JS, Gallagher J, Benjamin SB, Philpott JR, Lairon D, Hamosh P. Dietary fat modulates gastric lipase activity in healthy humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1995;62:74–80.
Armand M, Hamosh M, Mehta NR, Angelus PA, Philpott JR, Henderson TR, Dwyer NK, Lairon D, Hamosh P. Effect of human milk or formula on gastric function and fat digestion in the premature infant. Pediatr Res 1996;40:429–437.
Brines RD, Brock JH. The effect of trypsin and chymotrypsin on the in vitro antimicrobial and iron binding properties of lactoferrin in human milk and bovine colostrum. Unusual resistance of human apolactoferrin to proteolytic digestion. Biochim Biophys Acta 1983;759:229–235.
Britton JR, Koldovsky O. Gastric lumina] digestion of lactoferrin and transferrin by preterm infants. Early Hum Dev 1989;19:127–135.
Cavell B. Postprandial gastric acid secretion in infants. Acta Paediatr Scand 1983;72:857–860.
Davidson LA, Lonnerdal B. Persistence of human milk proteins in the breastfed infant. Acta Paediatr Scand 1988;76:733–740.
DiPalma JS, Kirk CL, Hamosh M, Colon AR, Benjamin SB, HamoshP. Lipase and pepsin activity in the gastric mucosa of infants children and adults. Gastroenterology 1991;101:116–121.
Hamosh M. Lingual and Gastric Lipases: Their Role in Fat Digestion. Boca Raton FL: CRC Press; 1990.
Hamosh M. Gastric and lingual lipases. In: Johnson LR, editor. Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. 3rded. New York: Raven Press; 1994. pp 1239–1253.
Hamosh M. Enzymes in human milk: characteristics and physiologic functions. In: Jensen RG, editor. Handbook of Milk Composition. San Diego: Academic Press; 1995. pp 327–338.
Hamosh M. Breastfeeding: Unraveling the mysteries of mother’s milk. In: Medscape Women’s Health, I996a (http://www.medscape.com).
Hamosh M. Digestion in the neonate. Clin Perinatol 1996b;23:19l-209.
Hamosh M, Sivasubramanian KN, Salzman-Mann C, Hamosh P. Fat digestion in the stomach of premature infants. J Pediatr 1978;93:674–679.
Hamosh M, Scanlon JW, Ganot D, Likel M, Scanlon KB, Hamosh P. Fat digestion in the newborn: characterization of the lipase in the gastric aspirates of premature and term infants. J Clin Invest 1981; 67:838–846.
Hamosh M, Ellis LA, Pollock DR, Henderson TR, Hamosh P. Breastfeeding and the working mother: effect of time and temperature of short term storage on proteolysis, lipolysis and bacterial growth. Pediatrics 1996;97:492–498.
Hamosh M, Henderson TR, Hamosh P Gastric lipase and pepsin activities in the developing ferret: nonparallel development of the two gastric digestive enzymes. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1998;26: 162–166.
Harries JT, Fraser AF. The acidity of the gastric contents of premature babies during the first fourteen days of life. Biol Neonate 1968;12:186–193.
Hirsch-Marie H, Loisillier F, Touboul JP, Burtin P. Immunochemical study and cellular localization of human pepsinogens during ontogenesis and in gastric cancers. Lab Invest 1976;34:623–632.
Keene MFL, Hewer EE. Digestive enzymes of the human foetus. Lancet 1929;1:767–770.
Kirk CL, Iverson SJ, Hamosh M. Lipase and pepsin activities in the stomach mucosa of the suckling dog.Biol Neonate 1991;59:78–85.
Lindberg T, Borulf S, Jakobsson I. Digestion of milk proteins in infancy. Acta Paediatr Scand 1989; 351:29–33.
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ. Protein measurement with the Fotin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 1951;193:265–271.
Mason S. Some aspects of gastric function in the newborn. Arch Dis Child 1962;37:387–391.
Menard D, Monfils S, Tremblay E. Ontogeny of human gastric lipase and pepsin activities. Gastroenterology 1995;108:1650–1656.
Patton S, Huston GE. A procedure for the determination of total protein in human milk. Nutr Rep Int 1984;30:1401–1408.
Schanler RJ, Goldblum RM, Garza C, Goldman AS. Enhanced fecal excretion of selected immune factors in very low birth weight infants fed fortified human milk. Pediatr Res 1986;20:711–715.
Smith LJ, Kaminsky S, D’Souza SW. Neonatal fat digestion and lingual lipase. Acta Paediatr Scand 1986;75:913–918.
Weisselberg B, Yahav J, Reichman B, Jonas A. Basal and meal-stimulated pepsinogen secretion in preterm infants: a longitudinal study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1992;15:58–62.
Yahav J, Carrion V, Lee PC, Lebenthal E. Meal-stimulated pepsinogen secretion in premature infants. J Pediatr 1987;110:949–951.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Henderson, T.R., Hamosh, M., Armand, M., Mehta, N.R., Hamosh, P. (2001). Gastric Proteolysis in Preterm Infants Fed Mother’s Milk or Formula. In: Newburg, D.S. (eds) Bioactive Components of Human Milk. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 501. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1371-1_50
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1371-1_50
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5521-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1371-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive