ExHuMId: A curated resource and analysis of Exposome of Human Milk across India

Abstract

AbstractHuman milk is a vital source of nourishment for infants, containing nutrients, immunoprotective components, and bioactive substances. However, several environmental contaminants find their way into human milk. Although lactation physiology has been well documented, the effect of human milk contaminants on maternal and infant health remains unclear. Human milk is the major route of contaminant exposure to infants; these contaminants and their effects can themselves be considered an exposome. While there are chemical regulations in India and scientific literature on environmental contaminants is available, yet there is a lack of systematic compilation, monitoring, and risk management of human milk contaminants. We have harnessed the potential of this large body of literature to develop the Exposome of Human Milk across India (ExHuMId) containing detailed information on 101 environmental contaminants detected in human milk samples, studied across 13 Indian states, compiled from 36 research articles. ExHuMId also compiles the detected concentrations of the contaminants, structural and physicochemical properties, and factors associated with the donor of the sample. Here, we also present findings from a three-pronged analysis of ExHuMId and two other resources on human milk contaminants, with a focus on the Indian scenario. Through a comparative analysis with global chemical regulations and guidelines, we identify human milk contaminants of high concern, such as potential carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and neurotoxins. We then study the physicochemical properties of the contaminants to gain insights on their propensity to transfer into human milk. Further, we employ a systems biology approach to shed light on potential effects of human milk contaminants on maternal and infant health, by identifying contaminant-gene interactions associated with lactation, cytokine signalling and production, and protein-mediated transport. ExHuMId is accessible online at: https://cb.imsc.res.in/exhumid/.