Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

Dataset Information

RNA-sequencing of the human milk fat layer during colostrum, transitional, and mature stages of lactation

ABSTRACT: Human milk fat globules, by enveloping cell contents during their secretion into milk, are a rich source of mammary cell RNA. Here, we pair this non-invasive mRNA source with RNA sequencing technology to probe the milk fat layer transcriptome during three stages of lactation: colostral, transitional, and mature milk production. We find that transcriptional profiles cluster not by postpartum day, but by milk Na:K ratio, indicating that women sampled during the same postpartum time frame could be at markedly different stages of gene expression. Each stage of lactation is characterized by a dynamic range (105-fold) in transcript abundances not previously observed with microarray technology. We discovered that transcripts for isoferritins and cathepsins are strikingly abundant during colostrum production, highlighting the potential importance of these proteins for neonatal health. Two transcripts, encoding M-NM-2-casein (CSN2) and a-lactalbumin (LALBA), make up 45% of the total pool of mRNA in mature lactation. Genes significantly expressed across all stages of lactation are associated with making, modifying, transporting, and packaging milk proteins. Stage-specific transcripts are associated with immune defense during the colostral stage, up-regulation of the machinery needed for milk protein synthesis during the transitional stage, and the production of lipids during mature lactation. We observed strong modulation of key genes involved in lactose synthesis and insulin signaling. In particular, PTPRF may serve as a biomarker linking insulin resistance with insufficient milk supply. This study provides the methodology and reference data set to enable future targeted research on the physiological contributors to sub-optimal lactation in humans. Milk fat mRNA profiles were generated from Day 2 and mature milk samples obtained from lactating mothers

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Danielle Lemay

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-45669 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Publications

RNA sequencing of the human milk fat layer transcriptome reveals distinct gene expression profiles at three stages of lactation.

Lemay Danielle G DG Ballard Olivia A OA Hughes Maria A MA Morrow Ardythe L AL Horseman Nelson D ND Nommsen-Rivers Laurie A LA

PloS one 20130705 7

Aware of the important benefits of human milk, most U.S. women initiate breastfeeding but difficulties with milk supply lead some to quit earlier than intended. Yet, the contribution of maternal physiology to lactation difficulties remains poorly understood. Human milk fat globules, by enveloping cell contents during their secretion into milk, are a rich source of mammary cell RNA. Here, we pair this non-invasive mRNA source with RNA-sequencing to probe the milk fat layer transcriptome during th ...[more]

PMID: 23861770

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Project description:Production of milk is a key characteristic of mammals, but the features of lactation vary greatly between monotreme, marsupial and eutherian mammals. Marsupials have a short gestation followed by a long lactation period, and the milk constituents vary greatly across lactation to meet the changing needs of the developing young. Marsupials are born immunologically naïve and rely on their mother’s milk for immunological protection. The koala is an iconic Australian species and many are increasingly threatened by disease. Here we use a mammary transcriptome, two milk proteomes and the koala genome to comprehensively characterise the protein components of the milk of the koala, with a key focus on the immune constituents during early and late lactation. We have characterised the most abundant peptides present in milk, examined key differences between early and late lactation, and determined differences between the koala and other marsupial species. The most abundant proteins were well characterised mammalian and marsupial-specific milk proteins including β-lactoglobulin, lactotransferrin, caseins and early lactation protein. We have generated a list of 851 immune compounds identified in the mammary transcriptome and examined a range of immune proteins that were highly abundant in the milk proteomes. These include immunoglobulins, complement components and immune receptors. A host of antimicrobial peptides were identified including cathelicidins, lysozyme, WAP four-disulfide core domain protein 2, Mucin-1 and Peptidoglycan recognition protein. We discovered that the previously described marsupial milk protein Very Early Lactation Protein is an ortholog of the eutherian gene Glycam1 (PP3) and likely has an antimicrobial role in milk. We also identified highly abundant koala endogenous retrovirus sequences in the mammary and milk transcriptome and proteomes, identifying a potential route for retroviral transmission from mother to young. Identifying and characterising the immune components of milk is key to understanding how marsupial young are protected throughout lactation and the novel immune compounds identified may have applications in clinical research.

Dataset Information

RNA-sequencing of the human milk fat layer during colostrum, transitional, and mature stages of lactation

Publications

RNA sequencing of the human milk fat layer transcriptome reveals distinct gene expression profiles at three stages of lactation.

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