Expression, characterization, and purification of recombinant porcine lactoferrin in Pichia pastoris

Production of Bioactive Porcine Lactoferrin through a Novel Glucose-Inducible Expression System in Pichia pastoris: Unveiling Antimicrobial and Anticancer Functionalities

Lactoferrin (LF) stands as one of the extensively investigated iron-binding glycoproteins within milk, exhibiting diverse biological functionalities. The global demand for LF has experienced consistent growth. Biotechnological strategies aimed at enhancing LF productivity through microbial expression systems offer substantial cost-effective advantages and exhibit fewer constraints compared to traditional animal bioreactor technologies. This study devised a novel recombinant plasmid, wherein the AOX1 promoter was replaced with a glucose-inducible G1 promoter (PG1) to govern the expression of recombinant porcine LF (rpLF) in Pichia pastoris GS115. High-copy-number PG1-rpLF yeast clones were meticulously selected, and subsequent induction with 0.05 g/L glucose demonstrated robust secretion of rpLF. Scaling up production transpired in a 5 L fermenter, yielding an estimated rpLF productivity of approximately 2.8 g/L by the conclusion of glycerol-fed fermentation. A three-step purification process involving tangential-flow ultrafiltration yielded approximately 6.55 g of rpLF crude (approximately 85% purity). Notably, exceptional purity of rpLF was achieved through sequential heparin and size-exclusion column purification. Comparatively, the present glucose-inducible system outperformed our previous methanol-induced system, which yielded a level of 87 mg/L of extracellular rpLF secretion. Furthermore, yeast-produced rpLF demonstrated affinity for ferric ions (Fe3+) and exhibited growth inhibition against various pathogenic microbes (E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans) and human cancer cells (A549, MDA-MB-231, and Hep3B), similar to commercial bovine LF (bLF). Intriguingly, the hydrolysate of rpLF (rpLFH) manifested heightened antimicrobial and anticancer effects compared to its intact form. In conclusion, this study presents an efficient glucose-inducible yeast expression system for large-scale production and purification of active rpLF protein with the potential for veterinary or medical applications.

Precision cellular agriculture: The future role of recombinantly expressed protein as food

Cellular agriculture is a rapidly emerging field, within which cultured meat has attracted the majority of media attention in recent years. An equally promising area of cellular agriculture, and one that has produced far more actual food ingredients that have been incorporated into commercially available products, is the use of cellular hosts to produce soluble proteins, herein referred to as precision cellular agriculture (PCAg). In PCAg, specific animal- or plant-sourced proteins are expressed recombinantly in unicellular hosts-the majority of which are yeast-and harvested for food use. The numerous advantages of PCAg over traditional agriculture, including a smaller carbon footprint and more consistent products, have led to extensive research on its utility. This review is the first to survey proteins currently being expressed using PCAg for food purposes. A growing number of viable expression hosts and recent advances for increased protein yields and process optimization have led to its application for producing milk, egg, and muscle proteins; plant hemoglobin; sweet-tasting plant proteins; and ice-binding proteins. Current knowledge gaps present research opportunities for optimizing expression hosts, tailoring posttranslational modifications, and expanding the scope of proteins produced. Considerations for the expansion of PCAg and its implications on food regulation, society, ethics, and the environment are also discussed. Considering the current trajectory of PCAg, food proteins from any biological source can likely be expressed recombinantly and used as purified food ingredients to create novel and tailored food products.

Efficient Bioproduction of Human Milk Alpha-Lactalbumin in Komagataella phaffii

Alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA; the most abundant whey protein in human milk) contributes to infant development, providing bioactive peptides and essential amino acids. Here, Komagataella phaffii (K. phaffii) was selected as the production host. We found that the K. phaffii host X33 was suitable for expressing the target protein, yielding 5.2 mg·L^-1 α-LA. Thereafter, several secretory signal peptides were applied to obtain a higher titer of α-LA. The strain with α-factor secretory signal peptide secreted the highest extracellular titer. Additionally, promoters AOX1, GAP, and GAP(m) were compared and applied. The strain with the promoter AOX1 produced the highest extracellular titer. In addition, coexpressing human protein disulfide isomerase A3 (hPDIA3) increased the titer by 27%. Human α-LA production by the strain X33-pPICZαA-hLALBA-hPDIA3 reached 56.3 mg·L^-1 in a 3 L bioreactor. This is the first report of successful secretory human α-LA expression in K. phaffii and lays foundations for the simulation of human milk for infant formulas and further development of bioengineered milk.

Carbon metabolism influenced for promoters and temperature used in the heterologous protein production using Pichia pastoris yeast

Nowadays, it is necessary to search for different high-scale production strategies to produce recombinant proteins of economic interest. Only a few microorganisms are industrially relevant for recombinant protein production: methylotrophic yeasts are known to use methanol efficiently as the sole carbon and energy source. Pichia pastoris is a methylotrophic yeast characterized as being an economical, fast and effective system for heterologous protein expression. Many factors can affect both the product and the production, including the promoter, carbon source, pH, production volume, temperature, and many others; but to control all of them most of the time is difficult and this depends on the initial selection of each variable. Therefore, this review focuses on the selection of the best promoter in the recombination process, considering different inductors, and the temperature as a culture medium variable in methylotrophic Pichia pastoris yeast. The goal is to understand the effects associated with different factors that influence its cell metabolism and to reach the construction of an expression system that fulfills the requirements of the yeast, presenting an optimal growth and development in batch, fed-batch or continuous cultures, and at the same time improve its yield in heterologous protein production.

Research and development on lactoferrin and its derivatives in China from 2011–2015

Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional glycoprotein, is an important antimicrobial and immune regulatory protein present in neutrophils and most exocrine secretions of mammals. Lactoferricin (Lfcin) is located in the N-terminal region of this protein. In this review, the current state of research into Lf and Lfcin in China is described. Searching with HistCite software in Web Sci located 118 papers published by Chinese researchers from 2011–2015, making China one of the top 3 producers of Lf research and development in the world. The biological functions of Lf and Lfcin are discussed, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory activities; targeted drug delivery, induction of neurocyte, osteoblast, and tenocyte growth, and possible mechanisms of action. The preparation and heterologous expression of Lf in animals, bacteria, and yeast are discussed in detail. Five Lf-related food additive factories and 9 Lf-related health food production companies are certified by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA). The latest progress in the generation of transgenic livestock in China, the safety of the use of transgenic animals, and future prospects for the uses of Lf and Lfcin are also covered.

High-Level Expression of Recombinant Bovine Lactoferrin in Pichia pastoris with Antimicrobial Activity

In this study, bovine lactoferrin (bLf), an iron-binding glycoprotein considered an important nutraceutical protein because of its several properties, was expressed in Pichia pastoris KM71-H under AOX1 promoter control, using pJ902 as the recombinant plasmid. Dot blotting analysis revealed the expression of recombinant bovine lactoferrin (rbLf) in Pichia pastoris. After Bach fermentation and purification by molecular exclusion, we obtained an expression yield of 3.5 g/L of rbLf. rbLf and predominantly pepsin-digested rbLf (rbLfcin) demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21DE3, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) FRI137, and, in a smaller percentage, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Ps. Aeruginosa) ATCC 27833. The successful expression and characterization of functional rbLf expressed in Pichia pastoris opens a prospect for the development of natural antimicrobial agents produced recombinantly.

Immunomodulatory effects of lactoferrin

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein of the transferrin family, which is expressed in most biological fluids with particularly high levels in mammalian milk. Its multiple activities lie in its capacity to bind iron and to interact with the molecular and cellular components of hosts and pathogens. Lf can bind and sequester lipopolysaccharides, thus preventing pro-inflammatory pathway activation, sepsis and tissue damages. Lf is also considered a cell-secreted mediator that bridges the innate and adaptive immune responses. In the recent years much has been learned about the mechanisms by which Lf exerts its activities. This review summarizes the recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying the multifunctional roles of Lf, and provides a future perspective on its potential prophylactic and therapeutic applications.

Lactoferrin a multiple bioactive protein: an overview

BACKGROUND

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an 80kDa iron-binding glycoprotein of the transferrin family. It is abundant in milk and in most biological fluids and is a cell-secreted molecule that bridges innate and adaptive immune function in mammals. Its protective effects range from anticancer, anti-inflammatory and immune modulator activities to antimicrobial activities against a large number of microorganisms. This wide range of activities is made possible by mechanisms of action involving not only the capacity of Lf to bind iron but also interactions of Lf with molecular and cellular components of both hosts and pathogens.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the activities of Lf, its regulation and potential applications.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The extensive uses of Lf in the treatment of various infectious diseases in animals and humans has been the driving force in Lf research however, a lot of work is required to obtain a better understanding of its activity.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The large potential applications of Lf have led scientists to develop this nutraceutical protein for use in feed, food and pharmaceutical applications. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Molecular Mechanisms of Iron Transport and Disorders.

Contribution of bovine lactoferrin inter-lobe region to iron binding stability and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus

The investigation of the recombinant bovine lactoferrin-derived antimicrobial protein (rBLfA) demonstrates that the inter-lobe region of bovine lactoferrin contributes to iron binding stability and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. rBLfA containing N-lobe (amino acid residues 1-333) and inter-lobe region (residues 334-344) was expressed in Pichia pastoris at shaking flask and fermentor level. The recombinant intact bovine lactoferrin (rBLf) and N-lobe (rBLfN) were expressed in the same system as control. The physical-chemical parameters of rBLfA, rBLfN and rBLf including amino acid residues, molecular weight, isoelectric point, net positive charge and instability index were computed and compared. The simulated tertiary structure and the calculated surface net charge showed that rBLfA maintained original structure and exhibited a higher cationic feature than rBLf and rBLfN. The three proteins showed different iron binding stability and antimicrobial activity. rBLfA released iron in the pH range of 7.0-3.5, whereas rBLfN lost its iron over the pH range of 7.0-4.0 and iron release from rBLf occurred in the pH range of 5.5-3.0. However, the minimum inhibition concentration of rBLfA against S. aureus ATCC25923 was 6.5 micromol/L, compared with 12.5 and 25 micromol/L that of rBLfN and rBLf, respectively. These results revealed that S. aureus was more sensitive to rBLfA than rBLfN and rBLf. It appeared that the strong cationic character of inter-lobe region related positively to the higher anti-S. aureus activity.

Structural and functional characterization of recombinant human serum transferrin secreted from Pichia pastoris

Serum transferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein with a bilobal structure. It binds iron ions in the blood serum and delivers them into target cells via transferrin receptor. We identified structural and functional characteristics of recombinant human transferrin which is produced in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Using the signal sequence of the alpha factor of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, high-level secretion was obtained, up to 30 mg/l of culture medium. Correct processing at designed sites was confirmed by N-terminal sequence analysis. Carbohydrate modification was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis after digestion with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H. Reflecting the secondary structure, the circular dichroism spectrum of the recombinant protein was indistinguishable from that of serum transferrin. Consequently, the recombinant product had an iron binding function just as the serum specimen has: two Fe(3+) sites existed in a recombinant transferrin molecule, as estimated by titration analysis using visible absorption, fluorescence spectra, and electrophoretic behavior in urea denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE).

Recent advances on the GAP promoter derived expression system of Pichia pastoris

Pichia pastoris is an efficient host for the expression and secretion of heterologous proteins and the most important feature of P. pastoris is the existence of a strong and tightly regulated promoter from the alcohol oxidase I (AOX1) gene. The AOX1 promoter (pAOX1) has been used to express foreign genes and to produce a variety of recombinant proteins in P. pastoris. However, some efforts have been made to develop new alternative promoters to pAOX1 to avoid the use of methanol. The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter (pGAP) has been used for constitutive expression of many heterologous proteins. The pGAP-based expression system is more suitable for large-scale production because the hazard and cost associated with the storage and delivery of large volume of methanol are eliminated. Some important developments and features of this expression system will be summarized in this review.

Recombinant human lactoferrin expressed in glycoengineered Pichia pastoris: effect of terminal N-acetylneuraminic acid on in vitro secondary humoral immune response

Traditional production of therapeutic glycoproteins relies on mammalian cell culture technology. Glycoproteins produced by mammalian cells invariably display N-glycan heterogeneity resulting in a mixture of glycoforms the composition of which varies from production batch to production batch. However, extent and type of N-glycosylation has a profound impact on the therapeutic properties of many commercially relevant therapeutic proteins making control of N-glycosylation an emerging field of high importance. We have employed a combinatorial library approach to generate glycoengineered Pichia pastoris strains capable of displaying defined human-like N-linked glycans at high uniformity. The availability of these strains allows us to elucidate the relationship between specific N-linked glycans and the function of glycoproteins. The aim of this study was to utilize this novel technology platform and produce two human-like N-linked glycoforms of recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF), sialylated and non-sialylated, and to evaluate the effects of terminal N-glycan structures on in vitro secondary humoral immune responses. Lactoferrin is considered an important first line defense protein involved in protection against various microbial infections. Here, it is established that glycoengineered P. pastoris strains are bioprocess compatible. Analytical protein and glycan data are presented to demonstrate the capability of glycoengineered P. pastoris to produce fully humanized, active and immunologically compatible rhLF. In addition, the biological activity of the rhLF glycoforms produced was tested in vitro revealing the importance of N-acetylneuraminic (sialic) acid as a terminal sugar in propagation of proper immune responses.

Evidence of tandem repeat and extra thiol-groups resulted in the polymeric formation of bovine haptoglobin: a unique structure of Hp 2-2 phenotype

Human plasma Hp is classified as 1-1, 2-1, and 2-2. They are inherited from two alleles Hp 1 and Hp 2, but there is only Hp 1 in almost all the animal species. Hp 2-2 molecule is extremely large and heterogeneous associated with the development of inflammatory-related diseases. In this study, we expressed entire bovine Hp in E. coli as a alphabeta linear form. Interestingly, the antibodies prepared against this form could recognize the subunit of native Hp. In stead of a complicated column method, the antibody was able to isolate bovine Hp via immunoaffinity and gel-filtration columns. The isolated Hp is polymeric containing two major molecular forms (660 and 730 kDa). Their size and hemoglobin binding complex are significantly larger than that of human Hp 2-2. The amino-acid sequence deducted from the nucleotide sequence is similar to human Hp 2 containing a tandem repeat over the alpha chain. Thus, the Hp 2 allele is not unique in human. We also found that there is one additional -SH group (Cys-97) in bovine alpha chain with a total of 8 -SH groups, which may be responsible for the overall polymeric structure that is markedly different from human Hp 2-2. The significance of the finding and its relationship to structural evolution are also discussed.

Expression and purification of goat lactoferrin from Pichia pastoris expression system

The recombinant goat lactoferrin (rGLF) was expressed in the methylotropic yeast Pichia pastoris using pGAPZalphaC vector, GAP as promoter, and Zeocin as the selective marker. After transformation of the GLF-pGAPZalphaC into Pichia pastoris X-33 expression host, the GLF-pGAPZalphaC vector was integrated into the GAP promoter locus of Pichia pastoris X-33 chromosome. The rGLF was expressed and secreted into the broth using alpha-factor preprosequence. SDS-PAGE and PAS staining analysis indicated that the rGLF could be purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by heparin-Sepharose 6 Fast Flow affinity chromatography and glycosylated by the expression host. The yield of purified rGLF was approximately 2.0 mg/L of culture broth. The N-terminal sequence was identical to the native goat lactoferrin (nGLF). The iron-binding behavior, papain-inhibiting property, and thermal stability of the purified rGLF were comparable to nGLF. This is the 1st report of intact goat lactoferrin expression using the P. pastoris system.

Molecular cloning and expression of yak (Bos grunniens) lactoferrin cDNA in Pichia pastoris

cDNA encoding lactoferrin from yak was isolated by RT-PCR and then sequenced. The cloned cDNA (2127 bp) encodes a 709 amino acid precursor molecule of yak lactoferrin with a signal peptide of 19 amino acids. The yak lactoferrin cDNA was expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant protein, purified by Ni-NTA affinity column, had a molecular weight of 76 kDa and reacted with an antibody raised against native bovine lactoferrin. The iron-binding behavior and antimicrobial activity of the purified protein indicated that it was correctly folded and functional.

Developmental gene expression of lactoferrin and effect of dietary iron on gene regulation of lactoferrin in mouse mammary gland

This study evaluated the developmental gene expression of lactoferrin (LF) and the effect of supplementary iron on gene expression of LF in the mammary gland of mice using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. In experiment 1, a total of 12 female mice were used to determine the effect of different lactating stages on mRNA expression of LF. The Institute of Cancer Research mice were divided into 4 groups; each group of 3 mice was tested on d 1, 9, 17, and 25 of lactation. In experiment 2, 6 groups of mice (total of 24 female mice at d 12 after mating) were fed purified diets (without iron or supplement iron) and were assigned to 2 treatments (control and treatment). The experimental feeding period lasted 35 d. During the feeding experiment, 6 mice (3 animals in each group) were chosen on d 1, 9, 17, and 25 of lactation to determine the effect of iron on LF mRNA expression of mice at different stages of lactation. The results of experiment 1 showed that LF mRNA had strong expression on d 1 of lactation, decreased gradually on d 9 and 17 of lactation, and then increased again markedly on d 25 of lactation. These results imply that the expression of LF in the mammary gland at different lactating stages is consistent with the changes in LF concentrations in milk. Iron significantly increased LF mRNA expression on d 1 and 25 of lactation. Iron did not statistically increase LF gene expression on d 9 and 17 of lactation. These findings raised the possibility that iron supplementation may play a role in regulation of LF levels in vivo.

Production of recombinant porcine lactoferrin exhibiting antibacterial activity in methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris

Lactoferrin is a metal-binding glycoprotein exhibiting multifunctional immunoregulation of antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-endotoxin and antiviral activities. Uptake of porcine lactoferrin (PLF) has been shown to enhance resistance to diarrhea and anemia in neonatal piglets. In this study, the methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris, was used to express a recombinant PLF (rPLF) gene from swine mammary gland. A synthetic secretion cassette was constructed using the inducible promoter of the alcohol oxidase-1 gene (AOX1) and the yeast alpha-mating factor signal peptide. After electroporation and Zeocin selection, several clones expressed high levels of rPLF protein which constitutes more than 30% of the total protein. A time-course study showed that rPLF mRNA transcripts are stably expressed during 120 h of culture induction. rPLF was exported into the culture supernatant at approximately 87 mg/l and a large portion of rPLF was accumulated in the cell cytoplasm at approximately 760 mg/l after 72 h of methanol induction. Recombinant PLF protein was purified via a heparin column using a fast protein liquid chromatography system. The glycosylation of P. pastoris-derived rPLF was analyzed and similar patterns to milk PLF were observed. Pepsin hydrolysate of rPLF displayed high bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 under scanning electron microscopy observation and minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration tests. Our results suggested that the methylotrophic yeast-inducible system is suitable for large-scale production of active antibacterial rPLF glycoprotein.

Beta-lactoglobulin is a thermal marker in processed milk as studied by electrophoresis and circular dichroic spectra

As much of the sterilization process involves heat treatment during the preparation of milk on an industrial scale, the unpredictable measures of the process are an essential issue in determining the quality of the milk. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the major protein change(s) of whey proteins in processed milk and extend the knowledge for future reference in the dairy industry. Using a native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we showed almost a 90% loss and denaturation of beta-lactoglobulin (LG), but not alpha-lactalbumin (LA), in some brands of the processed and dry milks. Immunochemical analysis using Western blotting revealed that part of the loss was attributed to the formation of large multiple forms of LG in the processed product. Such denaturation was presumably associated with the heating procedure used in the process. Essentially, LG was the only major fraction converted to aggregates in milk heated at 95 degrees C for 30 min on 2-dimensional PAGE. The detailed thermal denaturation of purified LG and LA at various temperatures (50 to 95 degrees C) and time (5 to 960 s) were investigated using a circular dichroic analysis. The maximal changes of ellipticity at 205 nm (converting beta-structure to disordered structure) were correlated to heating temperature and time. There were no significant conformational changes of LG at temperatures below 70 degrees C for as long as 480 s. Pronounced and rapid changes occurred between 80 to 95 degrees C in a time-dependent manner. Fifty percent of the maximal changes could be reached within 15 s. In conclusion, the unique chemical and immunochemical loss and conformational changes made LG a superior marker for evaluating the thermal processing of milk. The detailed thermal denaturation curves of LG constructed with its time and temperature in this study provide a valuable reference for the dairy industry. We postulate that heat treatment over 80 degrees C in 15 s may induce a significant denaturation of milk LG.

Process optimization of constitutive human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) expression in Pichia pastoris fed-batch culture

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) is a therapeutically important cytokine that is poorly expressed because of its toxic effects on the host cells. Extracellular expression of hGM-CSF was obtained by cloning its gene in Pichia pastoris under the constitutive glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP) promoter with an N-terminal alpha peptide sequence for its extracellular production. The clones obtained were screened for a hyper producer following which media and cultivation conditions were optimized in shake flasks. Batch and fed-batch studies were performed in a bioreactor where different feed compositions were fed exponentially to obtain high biomass concentrations. Feeding of complex media allowed us to maintain a high specific growth rate of 0.2 h(-1) for the longest time period, and a final biomass of 98 g DCW/l was obtained in 34 h. Product formation was found to be growth associated, and the product yield with respect to biomass (Y (P/X)) was approximately 2.5 mg/g DCW. The above fed-batch strategy allowed us to obtain fairly pure glycosylated hGM-CSF at a final product concentration of 250 mg/l in the culture supernatant with a high volumetric productivity of 7.35 mg l(-1) h(-1).

Expression of porcine lactoferrin by using recombinant baculovirus in silkworm, Bombyx mori L., and its purification and characterization

Lactoferrin is a multifunctional glycoprotein that is present in several mucosal secretions. In this study, we exploited the silkworm, Bombyx mori, as host for the recombinant baculovirus harboring the porcine lactoferrin (PLF) gene to produce the recombinant PLF (rPLF). Around 205 mug of rPLF was purified from a single silkworm pupa infected by the virus and the rPLF was proved to be biologically active. This method established in our study will pave the way for efficient industrial production of rPLF on a large scale for further utilization of this protein as a feed additive in the future.

Heterologous protein production using thePichia pastoris expression system

The Pichia pastoris expression system is being used successfully for the production of various recombinant heterologous proteins. Recent developments with respect to the Pichia expression system have had an impact on not only the expression levels that can be achieved, but also the bioactivity of various heterologous proteins. We review here some of these recent developments, as well as strategies for reducing proteolytic degradation of the expressed recombinant protein at cultivation, cellular and protein levels. The problems associated with post-translational modifications performed on recombinant proteins by P. pastoris are discussed, including the effects on bioactivity and function of these proteins, and some engineering strategies for minimizing unwanted glycosylations. We pay particular attention to the importance of optimizing the physicochemical environment for efficient and maximal recombinant protein production in bioreactors and the role of process control in optimizing protein production is reviewed. Finally, future aspects of the use of the P. pastoris expression system are discussed with regard to the production of complex membrane proteins, such as G protein-coupled receptors, and the industrial and clinical importance of these proteins.

The therapeutic potential of lactoferrin

Lactoferrin (Lf), a natural defence iron-binding protein, is present in exocrine secretions that are commonly exposed to normal flora: milk, tears, nasal exudate, saliva, bronchial mucus, gastrointestinal fluids, cervicovaginal mucus and seminal fluid. Additionally, Lf is produced in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and is deposited by these circulating cells in septic sites. A principal function of Lf is that of scavenging non-protein-bound iron in body fluids and inflamed areas so as to suppress free radical-mediated damage and decrease accessibility of the metal to invading bacterial, fungal and neoplastic cells. Adequate sources of bovine and recombinant human Lf are now available for development of commercial applications. Among the latter are use of Lf in food preservation, fish farming, infant milk formula and oral hygiene. Other readily accessible body compartments for Lf administration include skin, throat and small intestine. Further research is needed for possible medicinal use in colon and systemic tissues. Although Lf is a natural product and should be highly biocompatible, possible hazards have been documented.