Lactoferricin b 15

Breast cancer has a diverse aetiology characterized by the heterogeneous expression of hormone receptors and signalling molecules, resulting in varied sensitivity to chemotherapy. The adverse side effects of chemotherapy coupled with the development of drug resistance have prompted the exploration of natural products to combat cancer. Lactoferricin B (LfcinB) is a natural peptide derived from bovine lactoferrin that exhibits anticancer properties. LfcinB was evaluated in vitro for its inhibitory effects on cell lines representing different categories of breast cancer and in vivo for its suppressive effects on tumour xenografts in NOD-SCID mice. The different breast cancer cell lines exhibited varied levels of sensitivity to apoptosis induced by LfcinB in the order of SKBR3>MDA-MB-231>MDA-MB-468>MCF7, while the normal breast epithelial cells MCF-10A were not sensitive to LfcinB. The peptide also inhibited the invasion of the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines. In the mouse xenograft model, intratumoural injections of LfcinB significantly reduced tumour growth rate and tumour size, as depicted by live imaging of the mice using in vivo imaging systems (IVIS). Harvested tumour volume and weight were significantly reduced by LfcinB treatment. LfcinB, therefore, is a promising and safe candidate that can be considered for the treatment of breast cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary Bovine lactoferricin (LFcinB) on the growth performance and non-specific immunity in Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Five experimental diets were 1.0‰ Bovine lactoferricin (LCB1); 1.5‰ Bovine lactoferricin (LCB1.5); 2.0‰ Bovine lactoferricin (LCB2); 2.5‰ Bovine lactoferricin (LCB2.5); the control group, basal diet without Bovine lactoferricin. A total of 600 prawns were randomly assigned to 5 groups in triplicate in 15 tanks for an 8-week feeding trial. The results showed the final weight, weight gain rate, specific growth rate and survival rate of prawns in the treatment groups were significantly improved versus the control (P < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio was reduced significantly in treatment groups compared to the control (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lysozyme (LZM), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the hepatopancreas of the treatment groups were significantly enhanced, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content was reduced significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, the relative expression levels of AKP, ACP, LZM, CAT, SOD, Hsp70, peroxiredoxin-5, Toll, dorsal and relish genes were significantly higher among treatment groups, except for the AKP gene in the LCB1 group and the Hsp70 gene in the LCB1.5 group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, the relative expression levels of TOR, 4E-BP, eIF4E1α and eIF4E2 genes were significantly enhanced in the LCB1.5 group (P < 0.05). When resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in prawn is considered, higher doses of Bovine lactoferricin show better antibacterial ability. The present study indicated that dietary Bovine lactoferricin could significantly improve the growth performance and improve the antioxidative status of M. rosenbergii. The suitable addition level is 1.5 g/kg. LFcinB has great potential as a new feed additive without the threat of drug resistance.

The lactoferricin expressed in Bacillus subtilis is relatively low in yield, making it hard to apply in industrial settings. We constructed a six tandem repeat of lactoferricin cDNA driven by promoter PtrnQ. After transformation, two transformants P245 and P263 possessing a stable inheritance of plasmid and high expression of lactoferricin were selected. The bactericidal activities, 1 μl of aliquot of a total 5.5 ml of solution extracted from 5 ml of cultured P245 and P263, were equivalent to the efficacy of 238.25 and 322.7 ng of Ampicillin against Escherichia coli, respectively, and 366.4 and 452.52 ng of Ampicillin against Staphylococcus epidermidis respectively. These extracts were able to kill an Ampicillin-resistant E. coli strain. The bactericidal activities of P245 and P263 equivalent to the efficacy of Tetracycline against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus were also determined. Moreover, the bactericidal activities of P245 and P263 were 168.04 and 249.94 ng of Ampicillin against Edwardsiella tarda, respectively, and 219.7 and 252.43 ng of Tetracycline against Streptococcus iniae respectively. Interestingly, the survival rate of E. tarda-infected tilapia fry fed the P263 extract displayed a significantly greater than that of the fry-fed control strain. Collectively, these B. subtilis transgenic strains are highly promising for use in animal husbandry during a disease outbreak.