PEDIATRICS Vol. 88 No. 2 August 1991, pp. 359-363
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Dietary Nucleotide Effects upon Immune Function in Infants

Jane D. Carver MS MPH1, Bernardo Pimentel MD1, William I. Cox PhD2, and Lewis A. Barness MD3

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa
2 Virogenetics Corporation, Troy, New York
3 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, and From the Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin College of Medicine, Madison

Nucleotide (NT) nitrogen, a component of nonprotein nitrogen, accounts for approximately 0.1% to 0.15% of the total nitrogen content of human milk. The results of studies in animals indicate that dietary NTs may be required for maintenance of normal immune function. Thirty-seven healthy term infants were either breast-fed (n = 9) or fed SMA formula supplemented with 33 mg of NTs per liter (n = 13, NT+) or standard SMA formula (n = 15; NT-). At 2 months of age, natural killer cell percent cytotoxicity was significantly higher in the breast-fed and NT+ groups compared with the NT- group (41.7 ± 4.7, 32.2 ± 3.4, 21.7 ± 2.2%, respectively). Interleukin-2 production by stimulated mononuclear cells was higher in the NT+ compared with the NT- group at 2 months of age (0.90 ± 0.28 U/mL, 0.27 ± 0.11 U/mL, respectively); neither formula-fed group differed significantly from the breast-fed group. Rate of growth and incidence and severity of infections did not differ significantly among dietary groups. Nucleotides may be a component of human milk that contributes to the enhanced immunity of the breast-fed infant.

Key Words: nucleotides • nitrogen • human milk • infant formula • diet • immune function • growth

Submitted on April 23, 1990
Accepted on September 7, 1990




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