Title:Bovine lactoferrin as a Modulator of Neuroendocrine Components of Stress
Volume: 14
Author(s): Fabiola Guzmán-Mejía, Alan Vega-Bautista, Daniel E. Molotla-Torres, José F. Aguirre-Garrido and Maria E. Drago-Serrano*
Affiliation:
- Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, Maestría en Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco (UAMX), Calzada del Hueso No. 1100 CP 04960, Ciudad de México,Mexico
Keywords:
Bovine lactoferrin, stress, corticosterone, hormones, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, nitric oxide, opioidsystem.
Abstract:
Stress is a condition that maintains the homeostasis of the organism through the activation
of different neuroendocrine pathways and secretion of a wide array of chemical mediators, including
corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), neurotransmitters and glucocorticoids hormones.
These molecules fulfill important physiological functions, but under stressful conditions, they can
induce or aggravate a pathological state depending on type, severity and duration of stress. For this
reason, the search for compounds that modulate the activity of the neuroendocrine pathways is crucial
for the control of diseases associated with stressful situations.
Bovine lactoferrin (bLf) is an iron-binding multifunctional glycoprotein that exhibits modulatory
properties on the neuroendocrine system. Bovine lactoferrin affects the production and secretion of
neuroendocrine components of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Neuroendocrine
mechanisms of bLf entail either the down- or up-modulation of adrenal corticosteroids via HPA
pathway activation, nitric oxide (NO) generation and opioid nervous system pathway activation.
This manuscript is focused on reviewing the current contributions of bLf modulatory actions on the
response of hormones, neurotransmitters involved in stress and behavior. Sustained use of drugs
for stress-associated dysfunctions loses efficacy and requires the dose increase by tolerance and
drug dependence. Therefore, bLf may be included as a therapeutic and/or adjunctive agent of drugbased
therapies for the treatment of stress-associated emotional-disturbances.
