Breast milk protein osteopontin may shield infants from respiratory infections

MedicalXpress | авг 03, 2026

QIMR Berghofer researchers have found how breast milk supports infant immunity via a protein called osteopontin. The study also identifies a potential way of mimicking this protective effect in baby formula. The findings, published today in the journal Cell, reveal osteopontin triggers a cascade of biological signals that support immune cell development in a baby's liver and lungs and help protect against potentially deadly respiratory infections.