Notwithstanding mass vaccination against specific SARS-CoV-2 variants, there is still a demand for complementary nutritional intervention strategies to fight COVID-19. The bovine milk protein lactoferrin (LF) has attracted interest of nutraceutical, food and dairy industries for its numerous properties-ranging from anti-viral and anti-microbial to immunological-making it a potential functional ingredient in a wide variety of food applications to maintain health. Importantly, bovine LF was found to exert anti-viral activities against several types of viruses, including certain SARS-CoV-2 variants. LF's potential effect on COVID-19 patients has seen a rapid increase of in vitro and in vivo studies published, resulting in a model on how LF might play a role during different phases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Aim of this narrative review is two-fold: (1) to highlight the most relevant findings concerning LF's anti-viral, anti-microbial, iron-binding, immunomodulatory, microbiota-modulatory and intestinal barrier properties that support health of the two most affected organs in COVID-19 patients (lungs and gut), and (2) to explore the possible underlying mechanisms governing its mode of action. Thanks to its potential effects on health, bovine LF can be considered a good candidate for nutritional interventions counteracting SARS-CoV-2 infection and related COVID-19 pathogenesis.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14245274 | DOI Listing |
Front Microbiol
December 2024
College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao, China.
Introduction: Bunge is an important medicinal legume species widely cultivated in northeastern China (NEC) and northwestern China (NWC) and can establish a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing rhizobial strains. However, there are limited reports comparing the genetic diversity, differentiation, and gene flow of rhizobial strains associated with this plant in different geographic regions.
Methods: We used multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) to investigate the phylogeny and genetic diversity of rhizobia and to estimate their intra- and inter-regional gene flow and genetic differentiation based on the analysis of concatenated core genes (, , and ) and the critical symbiotic gene .
Cell Biosci
December 2024
USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
Mammalian reproduction requires that nursing mothers transfer large amounts of calcium to their offspring through milk. Meeting this demand requires the activation of a brain-breast-bone circuit during lactation that coordinates changes in systemic hormones, dietary calcium intake, skeletal turnover, and calcium transport into milk. Classically, increased bone resorption via increased parathyroid hormone-related protein and low estrogen levels is the main source of calcium for milk production during lactation.
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December 2024
School of Food and Biological Engineering, Key Laboratory of Modern Agricultural Products Processing of Anhui Province, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230601, China. Electronic address:
Plant protein-stabilized Pickering nanoemulsions show potential as plant-based milk substitutes; however, their stability is challenged by mechanical stress during transportation and oxidative deterioration during storage. Herein, soybean isolate protein-curcumin composite nanoparticle (SPI-Cur-NPs)-stabilized Pickering nanoemulsions were converted into microcapsule powders via spray-drying with maltodextrin (MD), trehalose anhydrous (TA), and inulin (IN) as wall materials. Robust intermolecular hydrogen bonds and an amorphous structure were formed using composite wall materials, reducing microcapsule surface fissures while improving encapsulation rate (92.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
December 2024
College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, China.
VPS28 (vacuolar protein sorting 28) is a subunit of the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) and is involved in ubiquitination. Ubiquitination is a critical system for protein degradation in eukaryotes. Considering the recent findings on the role of ubiquitination in the regulation of lipid metabolism, we hypothesized that VPS28 might affect the expression of genes involved in milk fat synthesis.
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December 2024
Department of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd., Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes 90% of liver cancer cases and ranks as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality, necessitating urgent development of alternative therapies. Lactoferrin (LF), a natural iron-binding glycoprotein with reported anticancer effects, is investigated for its potential in liver cancer treatment, an area with limited existing studies. This study focuses on evaluating LF's anti-liver cancer effects on HCC cells and assessing the preventive efficacy of oral LF administration in a murine model.
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