Lactoferrin:A glycoprotein that plays an active role in human health Original paper

What Was Reviewed?

The article presents a comprehensive synthesis of the latest research on lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional glycoprotein naturally found in mammalian milk and various bodily secretions. The review emphasizes lactoferrin’s structural biology, physicochemical properties, mechanisms of action, and its emerging clinical and industrial applications with emphasis on its antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant roles. The authors also explore lactoferrin’s impact on chronic diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, gastrointestinal health, and microbiota composition, highlighting its significance as a candidate for therapeutic interventions and functional food applications.

Who Was Reviewed?

This review draws upon a wide range of experimental models, including in vitro studies, animal models (especially mice and rats), and human clinical trials. Populations reviewed include neonates, patients with gastrointestinal and neurodegenerative disorders, cancer patients, individuals with cardiovascular or metabolic conditions, and those exposed to viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, the review presents data from livestock and aquaculture studies in which researchers applied lactoferrin as a dietary supplement, further supporting its immunological and microbiome-modulating roles.

Most Important Findings?

Lactoferrin exhibits broad antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activity, largely through its high-affinity iron-binding ability. It promotes beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus while inhibiting pathogens, making it a key microbiome modulator. Clinically, this is evident in trials where lactoferrin improved vaginal microbiota and reduced neonatal infections. Its antiviral effects extend to HPV, HSV, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2 by blocking viral entry and replication. Lactoferrin also dampens inflammation through NF-κB and MAPK pathway inhibition and improves chronic conditions like colitis, hypertension, and insulin resistance.

Lactoferrin’s role in chronic disease prevention is significant. It modulates insulin signaling via the AKT and ERK1/2 pathways, reduces blood pressure by inhibiting angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE), and supports bone growth by promoting osteoblast activity and suppressing osteoclastogenesis. In the brain, lactoferrin crosses the blood-brain barrier and influences neuroregeneration, with differential levels observed in Alzheimer’s vs. Parkinson’s disease patients.

From a microbiome database perspective, researchers reinforce lactoferrin’s MMA status by demonstrating its consistent impact on beneficial microbial populations, its ability to suppress opportunistic pathogens, and its role in maintaining mucosal immunity and gut barrier integrity. Its dual function as both a prebiotic and a postbiotic effector further amplifies its influence in shaping microbial ecologies.

What Are the Greatest Implications of This Review?

This review affirms lactoferrin as a multifunctional molecule with far-reaching therapeutic potential across immunological, infectious, oncological, and metabolic domains. For clinicians, it offers a natural, well-tolerated adjunct for managing dysbiosis-related diseases, enhancing mucosal immunity, and reducing inflammation. Lactoferrin’s inclusion in functional foods, infant formulas, and pharmaceutical formulations is already underway, supported by its favorable safety profile. Future research should refine delivery systems to improve bioavailability and identify precise microbial signatures associated with therapeutic success. As an immune-modulating and microbiome-supporting molecule, lactoferrin deserves integration into microbiome-targeted clinical interventions, particularly in vulnerable populations such as neonates, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised patients.