Breastfeeding importance and its therapeutic potential against SARS-CoV-2.

During postnatal development, colostrum and breastmilk are sequentially the first sources of nutrition with protein components and bioactive molecules that confer protection and immunostimulatory function to the gut. Caseins, whey proteins, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), mucins, tryptophan, and growth factors are among milk-borne elements that are directly important in the control of mucosa development and protection. Consequently, breastfeeding is associated with the low incidence of gastrointestinal inflammation and with the decrease in respiratory diseases during postnatal period. The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) binds to angiotensin II-converting enzyme (ACE2) on the cell membrane, allowing virus entrance, replication, and host commitment. ACE2 is expressed by different cell types, which include ciliated cells in the lungs and enterocytes in the intestine. Such cells are highly active in metabolism, as they internalize molecules to be processed and used by the organism. The disruption of ACE2 impairs leads to intestinal inflammation and decreased synthesis of serotonin, affecting motility. By reviewing the effects of SARS-CoV-2 in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts in infants, and gut responses to breastfeeding interruption, we suggest that it is important to maintain breastfeeding during SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it might be essential to protect newborns from gastrointestinal-associated disorders and relieve disease symptoms.

Immediate and Late Effects of Early Weaning on Rat Gastric Cell Differentiation.

Background: Gastric glands grow and cells reach differentiation at weaning in rats. By considering that early weaning (EW) can affect the timing of development, we aimed to compare molecular and cellular markers of differentiation in pups and adults. Methods: Wistar rats were separated into suckling-control (S) and EW groups at 15 days. Stomachs were collected at 15, 18, and 60 days for RNA and protein extraction, and morphology. Results: After EW, the expression of genes involved in differentiation (Atp4b, Bhlha15 and Pgc) augmented (18 days), and Atp4b and Gif were high at 60 days. EW increased the number of zymogenic cells (ZC) in pups and adults and augmented mucous neck cells only at 18 days, whereas parietal and transition cells (TC) were unchanged. Conclusions: EW affected the gastric mucosa mostly in a transient manner as the changes in gene expression and distribution of differentiated cells that were detected in pups were not fully maintained in adults, except for the size of ZC population. We concluded that though most of EW effects were immediate, such nutritional change in the infancy might affect part of gastric digestive functions in a permanent manner, as some markers were kept unbalanced in the adulthood.