BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PRODUCING A RECOMBINANT FORM OF LACTOFERRIN
Keywords:
lactoferrin, transferrins, recombinant protein, antipathogenic activity, iron-binding activity, immunomodulation, innate immunity, biosynthesisAbstract
This scientific article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the biological and functional properties of lactoferrin, a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein from the transferrin family that plays a fundamental role in modulating human innate immunity. The paper examines in detail the molecular mechanisms of its specific activity: antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects, as well as pronounced anti-inflammatory efficacy. These properties are successfully realized both through the direct release of Fe3+ iron ions, essential for pathogen metabolism and vital activity, and through direct interaction with host cell membranes and receptors, which facilitates effective regulation of the systemic immune response and cytokine profile. The relevance of the technological transition from the laborintensive process of extracting native protein from natural animal sources to modern, high-tech methods for the biosynthesis of its recombinant analogues is substantiated. Despite the naturally high concentration of lactoferrin in mammalian milk, traditional isolation methods carry risks of product contamination with hormones, allergens, and latent pathogens, and are characterized by prohibitively high costs due to multi-step purification procedures. This study proposes and describes in detail an optimized biotechnological model for producing a recombinant lactoferrin homologue. Based on a comparative analysis of various available expression systems, the author selected the most promising platforms and producer strains, ensuring not only a high yield of the target protein but also guaranteed preservation of its correct native conformation and full biological value. The obtained results are of high practical significance and can be directly applied in the development of scalable, cost-effective, and safe technologies for the industrial production of highly pure therapeutic biologics, which are in high demand in modern pharmacology, clinical nutrition, and the functional food industryReferences
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