Case Reports and Reviews: Open Access

Abstract 

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in later December 2019 in Wuhan, China, as a new epidemic form of respiratory life treating infection caused by a novel coronavirus. Lactoferrin (LF), a milk protein used as a food supplement has been reported to be effective in vitro and in vivo against SARS-CoV-2 both as a potential preventative or therapy treatment. Lactoferrin or lactotransferrin, is a protein found in cow and human milk with great affinity for iron ions and with a significant role as immunomodulator. It belongs to the components of the innate immune system and is present in several mucosal secretions and in neutrophil leukocytes. Increases in lactoferrin are seen with inflammatory bowel disease but also with other inflammatory conditions, with intestinal bacterial infections, some parasitic infections, and with colon cancer. LF gen and other genes such us S100A9, and Lipocalin 2 are over expressed in patients with SARS which supports that LF has immunomodulatory properties derived from its ability to bridge innate and adaptative immunity. In the present study we analyze the effects of the oral intake of a single dose of 24 mg of liposomal lactoferrin (LLF) in 4 human volunteers on l eucocyte gene expression at five times points, before (0h) and 2-4-6 and -24 hours after its oral intake. LLF absorption was measured in blood serum by ELISA and the expression of genes for Lactotransferrin (LTF), Angiotensinogen (AGT), Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were measured using Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTqPCR) on blood cells. Oral administration of LLF increased lactoferrin levels in blood serum and enhanced the expression of LTF, AGT, and GCSF genes while GM-CSF levels remained unchanged. These findings support that LLF activates the innate-immune response and increase our defense system against bacterial and viral infections. 

Keywords: Lactoferrin; Innate immunity; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19.