Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study

<b>Background and aims</b>: Mastitis is one of the main complications during breastfeeding and contributes to the cessation of breastfeeding. However, the etiopathogenesis and diagnosis of mastitis are complex and not yet well defined. We aimed to identify metabolic and lipidic changes i...

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Main Authors: Paola Quifer-Rada, Laia Aguilar-Camprubí, Sara Samino, Nuria Amigó, Oria Soler, Alba Padró-Arocas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Metabolites
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/10/566
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author Paola Quifer-Rada
Laia Aguilar-Camprubí
Sara Samino
Nuria Amigó
Oria Soler
Alba Padró-Arocas
author_facet Paola Quifer-Rada
Laia Aguilar-Camprubí
Sara Samino
Nuria Amigó
Oria Soler
Alba Padró-Arocas
author_sort Paola Quifer-Rada
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background and aims</b>: Mastitis is one of the main complications during breastfeeding and contributes to the cessation of breastfeeding. However, the etiopathogenesis and diagnosis of mastitis are complex and not yet well defined. We aimed to identify metabolic and lipidic changes in human milk during acute and subacute mastitis in order to detect potential biomarkers of mastitis. <b>Methods:</b> We conducted a pilot case–control study including 14 breastfeeding women with acute mastitis, 32 with subacute mastitis symptoms, and 19 without any mastitis symptoms (control). Milk samples were collected and analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-NMR) for metabolomics analysis. To assess the association between the significant metabolites and lipids and the development of acute and subacute mastitis, multi-adjusted logistic regression models were developed. <b>Results:</b> The NMR-based metabolomics approach was able to identify and quantify a total of 40 metabolites in breast milk samples. After adjusting for confounding variables, acute mastitis was significantly associated with acetate (OR 3.9 IC 1.4–10.8), total cholesterol (OR 14 CI 3.2–62), esterified cholesterol (OR 3.3 CI 1.9–5.8), and sphingomyelin (OR 2.6 CI 1.2–5.8). The other metabolites presented weak association (OR < 2.5). Subacute mastitis was significantly associated with glutamine, lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylcholine, plasmalogen, and total polyunsaturated fatty acids, but only cholesterol showed a strong association (OR > 2.5) with an OR of 2.6 (IC 1.1–6.6). <b>Conclusions</b>: Metabolic alteration in breast milk occurs during a process of both acute and subacute mastitis. Acetate, esterified cholesterol, lysophostidylcholine, and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in both acute and subacute mastitis. However, according to the multi-adjusted regression logistic models, the candidate biomarkers for acute and subacute mastitis are cholesterol, lysophosphatidylcoholine, phosphatidylcholine, plasmalogen, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
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spelling doaj-art-fe29074df0fb4c99abfd0b8775fbe3ad2025-08-20T02:11:13ZengMDPI AGMetabolites2218-19892024-10-01141056610.3390/metabo14100566Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control StudyPaola Quifer-Rada0Laia Aguilar-Camprubí1Sara Samino2Nuria Amigó3Oria Soler4Alba Padró-Arocas5LactApp Women Health, 08014 Barcelona, SpainLactApp Women Health, 08014 Barcelona, SpainCIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases, 28029 Madrid, SpainCIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases, 28029 Madrid, SpainBiosfer Teslab, 43206 Reus, SpainLactApp Women Health, 08014 Barcelona, Spain<b>Background and aims</b>: Mastitis is one of the main complications during breastfeeding and contributes to the cessation of breastfeeding. However, the etiopathogenesis and diagnosis of mastitis are complex and not yet well defined. We aimed to identify metabolic and lipidic changes in human milk during acute and subacute mastitis in order to detect potential biomarkers of mastitis. <b>Methods:</b> We conducted a pilot case–control study including 14 breastfeeding women with acute mastitis, 32 with subacute mastitis symptoms, and 19 without any mastitis symptoms (control). Milk samples were collected and analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-NMR) for metabolomics analysis. To assess the association between the significant metabolites and lipids and the development of acute and subacute mastitis, multi-adjusted logistic regression models were developed. <b>Results:</b> The NMR-based metabolomics approach was able to identify and quantify a total of 40 metabolites in breast milk samples. After adjusting for confounding variables, acute mastitis was significantly associated with acetate (OR 3.9 IC 1.4–10.8), total cholesterol (OR 14 CI 3.2–62), esterified cholesterol (OR 3.3 CI 1.9–5.8), and sphingomyelin (OR 2.6 CI 1.2–5.8). The other metabolites presented weak association (OR < 2.5). Subacute mastitis was significantly associated with glutamine, lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylcholine, plasmalogen, and total polyunsaturated fatty acids, but only cholesterol showed a strong association (OR > 2.5) with an OR of 2.6 (IC 1.1–6.6). <b>Conclusions</b>: Metabolic alteration in breast milk occurs during a process of both acute and subacute mastitis. Acetate, esterified cholesterol, lysophostidylcholine, and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in both acute and subacute mastitis. However, according to the multi-adjusted regression logistic models, the candidate biomarkers for acute and subacute mastitis are cholesterol, lysophosphatidylcoholine, phosphatidylcholine, plasmalogen, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/10/566breast feedinghuman milkmastitisbiomarkerslipidomics
spellingShingle Paola Quifer-Rada
Laia Aguilar-Camprubí
Sara Samino
Nuria Amigó
Oria Soler
Alba Padró-Arocas
Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study
Metabolites
breast feeding
human milk
mastitis
biomarkers
lipidomics
title Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study
title_full Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study
title_fullStr Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study
title_full_unstemmed Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study
title_short Metabolomics Approach to Identify Biomarkers of Acute and Subacute Mastitis in Milk Samples: A Pilot Case–Control Study
title_sort metabolomics approach to identify biomarkers of acute and subacute mastitis in milk samples a pilot case control study
topic breast feeding
human milk
mastitis
biomarkers
lipidomics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/10/566
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