Pharmaceutics · 9 authors, 3 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This narrative review summarizes the immunological functions of lactoferrin and its derived peptide lactoferricin, detailing their mechanisms in pathogen defense and inflammation modulation. The central conclusion is that these molecules have a wide range of potential therapeutic applications for infectious and inflammatory diseases.
This narrative review synthesizes preclinical and clinical evidence on the glycoprotein lactoferrin and its peptide fragment lactoferricin. The authors describe lactoferrin's multifaceted host defense roles, including iron sequestration, direct pathogen binding, and immunomodulation via interactions with receptors on innate and adaptive immune cells. Key preclinical findings demonstrate lactoferrin's ability to antagonize LPS-driven inflammation, promote protective immune responses in various animal infection and allergy models, and exhibit direct antimicrobial activity. The review also summarizes findings from human clinical trials, noting some beneficial effects of lactoferrin supplementation in conditions like COVID-19, but concludes that larger randomized trials are needed to validate efficacy and establish optimal dosing and timing. The primary implication is that lactoferrin and lactoferricin are promising natural bioactive compounds for modulating immunity and treating disease, though clinical translation remains under investigation.
