In light of the immunoprotective function of human milk and the incontestable impact of IgG glycosylation on its immune functions, characterization of the sialylation profile of human milk IgG is needed. Lectins as a molecular probe were applied in lectin-IgG-ELISA to analyze the sialylation and galactosylation pattern of skim milk IgG of mothers who delivered at term and prematurely. Well-defined biotinylated lectins were used: Maackia amurensis II (MAA II), Sambucus nigra (SNA), Ricinus communis I (RCA I), and Griffonia simplicifolia II (GSL II) specific to α2,3-Neu5Ac, α2,6-Neu5Ac, Gal(β1,4)GlcNAc, and agalactosylated glycans, respectively. The sialylation pattern of milk IgG differs qualitatively and quantitatively from maternal plasma IgG and is related to lactation stage and perinatal risk factors. Expression of MAA-, SNA-, and GSL-reactive glycotopes on term milk IgG showed a positive correlation with milk maturation from days 1 to 55. Preterm birth was associated with an increase of MAA-reactive and a decrease of RCA-reactive IgG glycotopes. Moreover, higher SNA- and GSL-reactive and lower RCA-reactive glycoform levels of milk IgG were associated with infection of lactating mothers. Application of a specific and simple method, lectin-IgG-ELISA, reveals the sialylation pattern of milk IgG over milk maturation. However, further investigations are needed in this area.
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