Lactoferrin reduces ceruloplasmin plasma levels under conditions simulating weightlessness in humans
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/2687-1270-2025-6-2-171-180Keywords:
dry immersion, weightlessness, human, ceruloplasmin, lactoferrinAbstract
Lactoferrin (LF), a member of the transferrin family of proteins, is widely used as a food additive and is a promising nutraceutical. Mammalian lactoferrin exists in two primary forms: one synthesized by glandular epithelial cells and found in milk and other secretions, and another stored in the secondary granules of neutrophils. While these isoforms share an identical amino acid sequence, they differ in glycosylation sites, carbohydrate component composition, and functional properties. Upon oral administration, a fraction of LF resists enzymatic hydrolysis and is absorbed intact in small intestine into the bloodstream, where it can form stable complexes with the plasma protein ceruloplasmin (Cer). In a dry immersion study, a model simulating the effects of weightlessness, oral administration of human LF reduced plasma Cer concentrations in test subjects, an effect which demonstrated signs of dose-dependence. As ceruloplasmin is a key scavenger of reactive oxygen species produced by immune cells, its decline corresponds to a reduction in the blood’s total antioxidant capacity. During the initial stages of adaptation to immersion stress, LF’s capacity to modulate immune cell activity may influence the synthesis and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, and, consequently, the hepatic expression of acute-phase proteins, including ceruloplasmin. Thereby, under the conditions of an immersion experiment, the immunomodulatory function of lactoferrin may be a significant factor in the regulation of plasma ceruloplasmin levels.
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