Human milk oligosaccharides inhibit acute rotavirus infection in neonatal piglets

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are being investigated as potential additives to infant formula. Herein, acute HMO treatment within the ileal lumen of both healthy and acutely rotavirus (RV)‐infected piglets was studied. Piglets (n=9 group) were fed formula from 48h to d21 of age. At d21, a midline laparotomy was performed and six 10cm loops of ileum were isolated in situ. The following treatments were injected into the loops: media, a single HMO, an HMO mixture (mHMO), or each treatment + OSU strain RV (1 × 10 7 FFU). After treatment, samples were collected. Loops treated with the single HMO + RV or with the HMO mixture + RV had lower RV replication, as assessed by NSP4 mRNA expression, than other RV‐treated loops (p=0.0026). Ileal loops not treated with RV showed no NSP4 expression. There was no difference in cytokine mRNA expression in ileal mucosa as analyzed by loop or dietary treatment. In conclusion, a single HMO or unique HMO mixture decreased NSP4 expression during acute RV infection. (Supported by Abbott Nutrition)