CO28 VSL#3 PROBIOTIC MATERNAL SUPPLEMENTATION AFFECTS BREAST MILK COMPOSITION AND NEWBORN FAECES MICROBIOTA

Aim of study: Microbiological and immunological investigations were performed in order to evaluate the changes induced by VSL#3 probiotic maternal supplementation on breast milk and newborn faeces. Maternal milk was analyzed for factors known to modulate immunological characteristics and the developing microbiota within the gastrointestinal tract (probiotic bacteria, cytokines and immunoglobulins). The functional effects of maternal probiotic intervention on the newborn health were assessed evaluating stool composition in terms of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria contents. Materials and Methods: This pilot double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled 35 healthy pregnant women four weeks before expected delivery. Participants received daily oral probiotic or placebo supplementation starting from the enrolment until four weeks after delivery. At 3 (T0) and 30 (T30) days after birth, infant stools and milk samples were collected. Results: The amount of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in breast milk of probiotic treated group was higher compared to controls. However due to the high individual variability of bacterial concentration, this increase did not result statistically significant. Noteworthy, the concentration of lactobacilli tended to be higher in the colostrum of the mothers in the probiotic group as compared with those on placebo (p = 0.099). At birth the amount of lactobacilli in faeces of neonates from VSL#3-supplemented mothers was significantly higher than in control group (p<0.05). In these samples, the concentration of bifidobacteria tended to be higher as compared with those on placebo. No differences in the presence of VSL#3 Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species were observed between groups in both milk and faecal samples. TGF-b values were significantly higher in colostrum from probiotic group in comparison to the control group and increased significantly at T30 only in the probiotic group. IL10 levels were significantly higher in the mature milk from probiotic treated group and IgA levels were significantly higher in colostrum and mature milk from probiotic group. Conclusions: Our microbiological results exclude a direct colonization of the VSL#3 probiotic strains in the mammary gland through a suggested migration from the intestine to the lactating mammary gland. Cytokines evaluations suggest that VSL#3 could represent a good supplementation in the diet of pregnant women.