Minireview: Lactoferrin, a versatile natural antimicrobial glycoprotein which modulates host innate immunity.

Minireview: Lactoferrin, a versatile natural antimicrobial glycoprotein which modulates host innate immunity. Biochem Cell Biol. 2020 Jun 25;: Authors: Dierick M, Vanrompay D, Devriendt B, Cox E Abstract Lactoferrin is a multifunctional protein found in the secretions of mammals. The antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin was the first to be discovered and was assumed to be solely dependent on its iron-chelating ability. However, lactoferrin has been reported to display proteolytic activity towards bacterial virulence factors and to modulate the host defence by stimulating the immune system and balancing pathogen-induced inflammation. Here, we review the current understandings of the antimicrobial effect, interaction with host cells and innate immune modulation of lactoferrin and put forward this moonlighting protein as a possible alternative for antibiotics. PMID: 32585120 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Biochemistry and Cell Biology - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Biochem Cell Biol Source Type: research