Lactoferrin and Its Detection Methods: A Review

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Medical Diagnostics
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Lactoferrin (LF) is a vital functional protein with antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties crucial for human health.
• Aberrant LF levels are linked to serious conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer's disease, and dry eye disease.
• Emerging research highlights LF's potential as a diagnostic biomarker for these diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the diverse biological functions of lactoferrin.
• To evaluate lactoferrin's utility as a potential disease biomarker.
• To present and discuss current methods for lactoferrin detection.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of studies on lactoferrin's biofunctions.
• Analysis of research investigating lactoferrin as a disease biomarker.
• Survey and critical discussion of existing lactoferrin detection methodologies.

Main Results:

• Lactoferrin exhibits significant antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities.
• Abnormal lactoferrin levels correlate with specific diseases, suggesting biomarker potential.
• Various methods for lactoferrin detection have been developed and are currently in use.

Conclusions:

• Lactoferrin possesses multifaceted health-promoting properties.
• Lactoferrin shows promise as a valuable biomarker for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer's disease, and dry eye disease.
• Further development of novel sensing systems for lactoferrin detection is encouraged.