Abstract

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have identified and isolated gram quantities of novel, complex oligosaccharides from bovine milk that closely mimic the structures of human milk oligosaccharides (HMO).  Current prebiotics, such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) lack the structural complexity of human milk oligosaccharides, and act as broad spectrum prebiotics in the human/animal gut microbiota.  It can be desirable instead to achieve a highly specific modulation of the gut microbiome by enrichment of select beneficial microbial communities.  Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMO) disclosed in this invention offer structural complexities similar to their human counterparts, with the potential for selective modulation of the human/animal gut microbiota.  Further, these bovine milk oligosaccharides did not enable the growth of tested pathogenic bacteria.

Full Description

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a class of indigestible, complex oligosaccharides that function as prebiotics.  HMOs selectively nourish the growth of select strains of bacteria within the infant gastrointestinal tract, priming the development of a unique gut microbiota in breast milk-fed infants.  At present, the only source of HMO is human milk and the structural complexity of these oligosaccharides has hindered their synthetic production.  There are currently no prebiotic oligosaccharides that can fully mimic the biological, structural, and glycomic functionalities of HMO.  Analogues and mimics of HMOs could protect the mucosal surfaces in the infant gastrointestinal tract from pathogens, while at the same time, act as a highly selective prebiotic substrate to target specific infant-type bifidobacterial populations.  FOS and GOS are seemingly different from HMO, and therefore unlikely to retain the immunological and pathogen inhibition functions of HMOs.  There is a need for a scalable and widely available alternative to HMOs.

The oligosaccharide compounds of the current invention can be sourced from dairy processes and offer structural mimicry to HMO.  These compounds protect the mucosal surfaces in the infant GI tract from pathogens while stimulating the selective growth of specific infant-type bacterial populations.  Data generated by current research at UC Davis positions these compounds as a more suitable mimic of HMOs than the currently available prebiotics.

Applications

A new class of prebiotic substrates can function to improve gut health.  The compounds may be found useful to establish, re-establish or sustain a beneficial and balanced gut microbiota in populations such as:

• formula-fed infants
• elderly populations with diminishing intestinal mucosal lining
• individuals undergoing antibiotic treatments
• individuals suffering from diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, or other GI ailments
  

Advantages

• Better HMO mimics
• New source for HMO mimics that is scalable and available
• Novel symbiotic formulations of HMO mimics and bacterial probiotics
• A novel substrate for designer prebiotics

Related Materials

• Bovine Milk Oligosaccharides: Publications

Patent Status

Patent Pending

Inventors

• Barile, Daniela
• German, J. Bruce B.
• Lebrilla, Carlito B.
• LoCascio, Riccardo
• Mills, David A.

Other Information

Contact

Randi L. Jenkins / rljenkins@ucdavis.edu / tel: View Phone Number. Please reference Tech ID #20993.

Request Additional Information

ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES BY THESE INVENTORS

• Human Milk Oligosaccharides
• Bifidobacterial Gene Sequences