Biomedical Applications of Lactoferrin on the Ocular Surface

Lactoferrin (LF) is a first-line defense protein with a pleiotropic functional pattern that includes anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and antitumoral properties. Remarkably, this iron-binding glycoprotein promotes iron retention, restricting free radical production and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pharmaceutics 2023-03, Vol.15 (3), p.865
Main Authors: Regueiro, Uxía, López-López, Maite, Varela-Fernández, Rubén, Otero-Espinar, Francisco Javier, Lema, Isabel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antioxidants
Care and treatment
Cytokines
Diagnosis
Dosage and administration
drug delivery systems
dry eye
Eye diseases
Free radicals
Homeostasis
Iron
keratoconus
lactoferrin
Lactoferrins
Ligands
ocular surface infections
Oxidative stress
Proteins
Review
topical ocular administration
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Lactoferrin (LF) is a first-line defense protein with a pleiotropic functional pattern that includes anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and antitumoral properties. Remarkably, this iron-binding glycoprotein promotes iron retention, restricting free radical production and avoiding oxidative damage and inflammation. On the ocular surface, LF is released from corneal epithelial cells and lacrimal glands, representing a significant percentage of the total tear fluid proteins. Due to its multifunctionality, the availability of LF may be limited in several ocular disorders. Consequently, to reinforce the action of this highly beneficial glycoprotein on the ocular surface, LF has been proposed for the treatment of different conditions such as dry eye, keratoconus, conjunctivitis, and viral or bacterial ocular infections, among others. In this review, we outline the structure and the biological functions of LF, its relevant role at the ocular surface, its implication in LF-related ocular surface disorders, and its potential for biomedical applications.
ISSN:1999-4923
1999-4923
DOI:10.3390/pharmaceutics15030865