Preclinical Investigation Shows Ground-Breaking Results on Human Infections
RHEINBREITBACH, Germany, November 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –
Synthetic human-milk-oligosaccharides reduce the risk of infections caused by
hazardous pathogens
Human-milk-oligosaccharides, an important component of human mother’s milk, play a
fundamental role in the protection of infants against viral and bacterial infection.
Preclinical studies carried out by Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH have now shown for the
first time that synthetically produced functional sugars protect humans from infectious
diseases. The investigations were conducted in collaboration with the University
Children’s Hospital Mannheim of Heidelberg University (GER).
In collaboration with the University Children’s Hospital Mannheim of Heidelberg
University [http://www.umm.de ], Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH carried out extensive
preclinical research to demonstrate for the first time that synthetic
human-milk-oligosaccharides achieve the same protective effects as natural sugars in human
breast milk. The study focused on the human-milk-oligosaccharides 2′-Fucosyllactose and
3-Fucosyllactose, which are present in human breast milk at levels of up to 3.5 grams per
liter and are by far the most abundant human-milk-oligosaccharides.
The researchers at Mannheim (GER) tested the sugars on human cells using various
pathogens. The results demonstrate a clear protective effect, i.e. the synthetic
human-milk-oligosaccharides produced by Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH successfully bind
prevalent diarrhea causing pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli and
particular Salmonella species. Furthermore, the now available results reveal that these
saccharides effectively inhibit the pneumonia causing pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
which is together with E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus the most common pathogen causing
nosocomial infections. Moreover, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections can cause severe,
life-threatening infections in patients with underlying immunodeficiency.
Human-milk-oligosaccharides not only inhibit gastrointestinal pathogens directly, they
also provide at least two further major benefits. First, they have a prebiotic or
bifidogenic effect, encouraging the growth of bifidobacteria that improve digestion and
suppress pathogens to maintain a healthy microbiome [http://www.hmpdacc.org ]. Second, up
to 1% of these saccharides are absorbed into the blood, where they provide a systemic
protection such as reducing the risk of infection of organs such as the lungs and
meninges, for example. Although there is abundant evidence for the benefits of
human-milk-oligosaccharides
[http://www.milkgenomics.org/newsletter/multitasking-milk-oligosaccharides ] further
research is required to understand the underlying mechanisms. Jennewein Biotechnologie
GmbH has taken the lead in this research and is committed to the development of innovative
products based on synthetic human-milk-oligosaccharides to reduce infection rates in
infants and adults.
As emphasized Prof. Dr. Schroten, Director of the University Children’s Hospital
Mannheim of Heidelberg University, “… this study represents asignificant milestone in
the development of novel and effective non-interventional strategies to reduce the risk of
human infections by pathogenic bacteria. In consideration of the continued growth of the
world population and the increasing number of multidrug-resistant bacteria, this
represents one of the key challenges of the 21st century.”
The protective mechanism of human-milk-oligosaccharides
Mother’s milk is seen as the “gold standard” for infant nutrition during the first few
months of human life, not only reflecting the optimal balance of nutrients but also
because of its ingredients with specific biological functions. Human-milk-oligosaccharides
are the third most abundant solid component of breast milk, after lactose and fat which
primarily serve as energy source. These human-milk-oligosaccharides are highly complex
sugar molecules which are human specific and therefore can only be found in nature in this
composition in human mother’s milk.
Many scientific studies have shown that human-milk-oligosaccharides reduce the risk of
infection by pathogens and have no adverse effects in humans. Soluble
human-milk-oligosaccharides imitate sugar molecules that are found on the surface of all
human cells to facilitate cell-to-cell communication. More than 70% of human pathogens -
virus and bacteria – use these cell-surface sugar molecules to attach to, enter and infect
cells. Thus, soluble human-milk-oligosaccharides in the gastrointestinal tract and in the
blood act as decoys to prevent pathogens interacting with cells. Human pathogens will
connect to these soluble saccharides “assuming” they connect to a host cell. The binding
between pathogens and sugar molecules is irreversible and pathogens have no possibility to
become resistant to soluble human-milk-oligosaccharides because they need to interact with
the same molecules on the cell surface. Therefore, pathogens that do not bind to these
sugars would be unable to bind to the cell surface either, and would lose their virulence.
Because human-milk-oligosaccharides have a specific role in the elimination of
pathogens they are not used by human cells as an energy source. However, they retain the
organoleptic properties of other sugars, i.e. they are soluble and sweet. This means that
human-milk-oligosaccharides could be added to the diet in place of sucrose, for example,
acting as sweeteners with no calorific value but also providing prebiotic benefits and
protecting against infection.
Multiple applications for Fucosyllactose in human nutrition
The synthetic human-milk-oliogsacchrides produced by Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH are
presented as white, crystalline powders similar to sucrose, making them ideal as additives
for use by the food processing industry to increase the health-promoting characteristics
of innovative food products. In specialized areas, Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH already
cooperates with Pfizer Nutrition [http://www.pfizer.com/nutrition ], one of the leading
international infant food manufacturers. However, there are many other potential
applications outside the field of infant nutrition, ranging from dairy products, breakfast
cereals and beverages providing health benefits to special nutrition programs for
professionals facing a high risk of infection, dietary supplements for travelers in
disease-endemic areas, special diets for immunocompromized hospital patients to prevent
nosocomial infections and therapeutic nutrition used to improve patients’ clinical
outcomes and quality of life.
About Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH
Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH is active in the field of industrial biotechnology and
specializes in the production of complex sugar molecules using bio-organic synthesis. The
main focus of the company is the production of ingredients for the food, personal care and
pharmaceutical industries. Jennewein Biotechnology also produces molecules for research
and development, as well as for diagnostics.
Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH is a family-owned company, founded in 2005 with its
headquarters in Rheinbreitbach (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany). The company cooperates in
research and development with leading universities and research institutes. Jennewein
Biotechnologie GmbH received the Pionier-Geist award [http://www.pioniergeist.rlp.de ] in
2007 from the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Economics. The Federal Ministry of
Education and Research [http://www.bmbf.de ] supports Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH in its
research and development activities in the field of human-milk-oligosaccharides.
Further information
Further information about Jennewein Biotechnology GmbH, its products and graphical
material [http://jennewein-biotech.de/en_about_us_news.php ] can be obtained at
http://www.jennewein-biotech.de or by writing to:
Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH
Maarweg 32
D-53619 Rheinbreitbach
Germany
Tel.: +49-(0)2224-989-4502
Fax.: +49-(0)2224-988-0854
EMail: info@jennewein-biotech.de
SOURCE Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH
