Glycosphingolipids participate in brain development,
intestinal
tract maturation, and defense against gut pathogens. Here, we performed
a qualitative and quantitative comparison of milk glycosphingolipids
from secretors and nonsecretors. Hydrophilic interaction chromatography-electrospray
ionization-tandem mass spectrometry was employed, along with an internal
standard, to resolve the complications presented by the fact that
glycosphingolipids are structurally diverse, varying in glycan composition
and ceramide. In total, 101 glycosphingolipids were detected, of which
76 were reported for the first time, including fucose-modified neutral
glycosphingolipids. Seventy-eight glycosphingolipids differed significantly
between secretor and nonsecretor milk (p < 0.05),
resulting in higher levels of certain neutral species (p < 0.001) but lower levels of fucose-modified monosialylated and
disialylated species in secretor mothers (p <
0.01). In both milk types, the most abundant glycosphingolipids were
of the monosialylated type, followed by disialylated, neutral, and
trisialylated ones. Notably, fucose-modified monosialylated glycosphingolipids
accounted for the highest proportion.