Lactoferrin is an innate glycoprotein with broad antibacterial and antibiofilm properties. The autonomous antibiofilm activity of lactoferrin against Gram-positive bacteria is postulated to involve the cell wall and biofilm components. Thus, the prevention of biomass formation and eradication of preformed biofilms by lactoferrin was investigated using a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) strain. Additionally, the ability of lactoferrin to modulate the expression of the biofilm-associated protein gene (bap) was studied. The bap gene regulates the production of biofilm-associated proteins responsible for bacterial adhesion and aggregation. In the in vitro biofilm assays, lactoferrin prevented biofilm formation and eradicated established biofilms for up to 24 and 72 h, respectively. Extensive eradication of MRSE biofilm biomass was accompanied by the significant upregulation of bap gene expression. These data suggest the interaction of lactoferrin with the biofilm components and cell wall of MRSE, including the biofilm-associated protein.
Breast cancer has a diverse aetiology characterized by the heterogeneous expression of hormone receptors and signalling molecules, resulting in varied sensitivity to chemotherapy. The adverse side effects of chemotherapy coupled with the development of drug resistance have prompted the exploration of natural products to combat cancer. Lactoferricin B (LfcinB) is a natural peptide derived from bovine lactoferrin that exhibits anticancer properties. LfcinB was evaluated in vitro for its inhibitory effects on cell lines representing different categories of breast cancer and in vivo for its suppressive effects on tumour xenografts in NOD-SCID mice. The different breast cancer cell lines exhibited varied levels of sensitivity to apoptosis induced by LfcinB in the order of SKBR3>MDA-MB-231>MDA-MB-468>MCF7, while the normal breast epithelial cells MCF-10A were not sensitive to LfcinB. The peptide also inhibited the invasion of the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines. In the mouse xenograft model, intratumoural injections of LfcinB significantly reduced tumour growth rate and tumour size, as depicted by live imaging of the mice using in vivo imaging systems (IVIS). Harvested tumour volume and weight were significantly reduced by LfcinB treatment. LfcinB, therefore, is a promising and safe candidate that can be considered for the treatment of breast cancer.
There are reports of improved redox outcomes due to consumption of Edible Bird's Nest (EBN). Many of the functional effects of EBN can be linked to its high amounts of antioxidants. Interestingly, dietary components with high antioxidants have shown promise in the prevention of aging and its related diseases like Alzheimer's disease. In this study, the antioxidative potentials of EBN and its constituents, lactoferrin (LF) and ovotransferrin (OVF), were determined and protective effects against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)- induced toxicity on SH-SY5Y cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and acridine orange and propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining with microscopy were examined. Results showed that EBN and its constituents attenuated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity, and decreased radical oxygen species (ROS) through increased scavenging activity. Furthermore, LF, OVF, and EBN produced transcriptional changes in antioxidant related genes that tended towards neuroprotection as compared to H2O2-treated group. Overall, the results suggest that LF and OVF may produce synergistic or all-or-none antioxidative effects in EBN.