Application Progress of Lactoferrin in Biomedicine

Dear Colleagues,

Lactoferrin (Lf), also known as lactotransferrin, is a nonheme iron-binding protein that belongs to the transferrin family. This multifunctional glycoprotein is secreted by exocrine glands and neutrophils, and has been reported to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antitumoral properties, as well as an immunomodulatory role. It is present in several different body fluids, including tears, saliva, milk, and mucosal secretions. Recent studies suggest that alterations of Lf concentration, conformation, and activity represent good biomarker candidates for the diagnosis of different diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and dry eye disease.

The present Special Issue aims to provide some of the latest most significant applications in the biomedical field of this protein.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the physicochemical characterization of Lf, in relation to its application against oxidative stress, inflammation, cancer, and viral and bacterial infections. The development of detection methods for rapid and accurate characterization of Lf should be considered.

Both original research papers and review articles on Lf are welcome.

Dr. Piera Versura
Dr. Erika Ponzini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• lactoferrin
• bacterial activity
• viral activity
• iron binding
• iron homeostasis
• immunomodulation
• antiviral activity
• antibacterial activity
• antioxidant activity
• antitumoral property