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Human Milk from Previously COVID-19-Infected Mothers: The Effect of Pasteurization on Specific Antibodies and Neutralization Capacity.

Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, University of Amsterdam Emma Children's Hospital, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. Netherlands Proteomics Center, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. Food Quality & Design Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands. Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Division Infectious Diseases & Immunology/Laboratory of Virology, Department Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Department of Microbiology and Immunolgy, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Department of Experimental Immunohematology, Sanquin Research, Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 9190, 1006 AD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Viroclinics Xplore, Viroclinics Biosciences B.V., Nistelrooise Baan 3, 5374 RE Schaijk, The Netherlands. Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research & Landsteiner Laboratory Academic Medical Centre, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Nutrients. 2021;(5)
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Abstract

BACKGROUND Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many put their hopes in the rapid availability of effective immunizations. Human milk, containing antibodies against syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may serve as means of protection through passive immunization. We aimed to determine the presence and pseudovirus neutralization capacity of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA in human milk of mothers who recovered from COVID-19, and the effect of pasteurization on these antibodies. METHODS This prospective case control study included lactating mothers, recovered from (suspected) COVID-19 and healthy controls. Human milk and serum samples were collected. To assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies we used multiple complementary assays, namely ELISA with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (specific for IgA and IgG), receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid (N) protein for IgG in serum, and bridging ELISA with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and N protein for specific Ig (IgG, IgM and IgA in human milk and serum). To assess the effect of pasteurization, human milk was exposed to Holder (HoP) and High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP). RESULTS Human milk contained abundant SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 83% of the proven cases and in 67% of the suspected cases. Unpasteurized milk with and without these antibodies was found to be capable of neutralizing a pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 in (97% and 85% of the samples respectively). After pasteurization, total IgA antibody levels were affected by HoP, while SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody levels were affected by HPP. Pseudovirus neutralizing capacity of the human milk samples was only retained with the HPP approach. No correlation was observed between milk antibody levels and neutralization capacity. CONCLUSIONS Human milk from recovered COVID-19-infected mothers contains SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies which maintained neutralization capacity after HPP. All together this may represent a safe and effective immunization strategy after HPP.

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Publication Type : Clinical Trial

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