Trans-endothelial and trans-epithelial transfer of lactoferrin into the brain through BBB and BCSFB in adult rats.

The transportation of intravenously administered bovine lactoferrin (bLF) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was immunohistochemically investigated in adult rats. Administered bLF was detected in the vesicular membranes of endothelial cells in cerebral blood vessels 10 min after the infusion. Numerous immunoreactive small vesicles were also detected at the ependymal cells in the choroid plexus.

Enteric-formulated lactoferrin was more effectively transported into blood circulation from gastrointestinal tract in adult rats.

We have previously demonstrated that intestinally infused bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is transported into the blood circulation via the lymphatic pathway, not via the portal circulation. Therefore, in the present study, we further investigated whether intragastrically infused enteric-formulated bLF (EF-bLF) was more efficiently absorbed than bLF from the intestine in adult rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: 30 and 300 mg kg(-1) non-enteric-formulated bLF (non-EF-bLF) groups and a 30 mg kg(-1) EF-bLF group.

Suppressive effects of milk-derived lactoferrin on psychological stress in adult rats.

Lactoferrin (LF) is known as an iron-binding glycoprotein. It has been shown that bovine LF (bLF) is transported into cerebrospinal fluid via blood although its physiological effects in the central nervous system (CNS) are still unclear. In this study, a suppressive effect of bLF on psychological distress was investigated in adult rats.