The Utility of Human Milk Oligosaccharides against Group B Streptococcus Infections of Reproductive Tissues and Cognate Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Preterm birth affects nearly 10% of all pregnancies inthe United States, with 40% of those due, in part, to infections. Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is one of the most common perinatal pathogens responsiblefor these infections. Current therapeutic techniques aimed to ameliorateinvasive GBS infections are less than desirable and can result incomplications in both the neonate and the mother. To this end, theneed for novel therapeutic options is urgent. Human milk oligosaccharides(HMOs), an integral component of human breast milk, have been previouslyshown to possess antiadhesive and antimicrobial properties. To interrogatethese characteristics, we examined HMO-mediated outcomes in both in vivo and ex vivo models of GBS infectionutilizing a murine model of ascending GBS infection, an EpiVaginalhuman organoid tissue model, and ex vivo human gestationalmembranes. Supplementation of HMOs resulted in diminished adversepregnancy outcomes, decreased GBS adherence to gestational tissues,decreased colonization within the reproductive tract, and reduced proinflammatory immune responses to GBS infection. Taken together,these results highlight the potential of HMOs as promising therapeuticinterventions in perinatal health. Human breastmilk sugars reduce bacterial invasion and disease progression of perinatalpathogen Group B Streptococcus in an in vivo mouse model of disease during pregnancy.

Automated summary

Preterm birth affects nearly 10% of all pregnancies inthe United States, with 40% of those due, in part, to infections. Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) is a common perinatal pathogen responsible for these infections. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) have been shown to possess antiadhesive and antimicrobial properties. In this study, supplementation of HMOs reduced adverse pregnancy outcomes, GBS adherence and colonization, as well as proinflammatory immune responses to GBS infection. These results suggest the potential of HMOs as promising therapeutic interventions in perinatal health.