The antimicrobial effect of lactoferrin and its role on IL-12 gene expression.

Immunomodulatory effect of lactoferrin (LF) against Salmonella Typhimurium infected mice. The parameters used to assess the orally administered LF on bacterial fecal shedding and liver colonization, also interleukin-12 (IL-12) gene expression in jejunal tissue using real time-PCR technique (RT-qPCR) in Salmonella Typhimurium infected mice. Balb/c mice were divided into four equal groups, mice in G1 and G3 given orally a volume of 0.2 ml containing 0.2 mg/mouse of LF for ten days as a control group. On day 5, G3 were infected with 0.2 ml/ mouse of S. Typhimurium sublethal dose. G 2 Infected with S. Typhimurium and sacrificed at days 5 and 10 post-infection. Group 4 as a negative control. The results of bacterial fecal shedding and liver colonization in G3 were significantly lower than that of G2. IL-12 mRNA gene expression results on day 5 showed significantly lower expression in G2 than that of lactoferrin. Mice in G1 had a significant increase in gene expression on day 10. Inversely, G2 showed a significant decrease in gene expression on day 10, while G3 showed no significant difference on day 10. The results showed that LF ameliorates immune response, increasing IL-12, an essential key link to activate adaptive immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]