title: [Lactoferrin - a glycoprotein of great therapeutic potentials].
abstract: Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein, which is present in most biological fluids with particularly high levels in colostrum and in mammalian milk. Bovine lactoferrin is more than 70% homologous with human lactoferrin. Most of the clinical trials have used bovine lactoferrin for supplementation. This review summarizes the recent advances in explaining the mechanisms, which are responsible for the multifunctional roles of lactoferrin, and presents its potential prophylactic and therapeutic applications. On the ground of the results of preliminary clinical observations, authors suggest beneficial effect of lactoferrin supplementation on the prevalence of necrotizing enterocolitis in infants with birth weight below 1250 grams.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Neonatologii, Uniwersytet Jagielloński Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Polska ul. Kopernika 23, 31-501 Krakow tel. (12) 424-85-87 e-mail: ryszard@lauterbach.pl.
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauterbach
authors.affiliation: Zakład Farmakologii, Instytut Matki i Dziecka, Warszawa, Polska.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kamińska
authors.affiliation: Centrum Medyczne "Ujastek", Krakow, Polska.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michalski
authors.affiliation: Centrum Medyczne "Ujastek", Krakow, Polska.
authors.forename: Jan Paweł
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lauterbach
mesh_terms: D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: lactoferrin; necrotizing enterocolitis; sepsis; very low birth weight newborn