Description | Lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) is a neutral oligosaccharide present in human colostrum and milk. LNT is converted from lacto-N-triose II by the human enzyme beta-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 (beta3GnT2). Human milk is a unique reservoir of oligosaccharides. The presence of many of these oligosaccharides is determined genetically and is related to the Lewis blood group and secretor antigen status of each donor. Oligosaccharides in human milk represent a group of bioactive molecules that have evolved to be an abundant and diverse component of human milk, even though they have no direct nutritive value to the infant. A recent hypothesis proposes that they could be substrates for the development of the intestinal microflora and the mucosal immune system. (PMID: 15629115, 11787695, 14530096, 17002410, 16277601, 11787692) |
Chemical_IUPAC_Name | N-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-2-[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4R,5R)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxan-4-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]acetamide |