Bovine mastitis: Novel protein treatment strategy

Mastitis is a major challenge to the worldwide dairy industry in spite of the widespread implementation of mastitis control strategies. The major economic loss of all forms of mastitis results from reduced milk production. Because of the difficulty in controlling mastitis the disease will maintain its role in the foreseeable future. Identifying genes offers the opportunity to improve production efficiency, quality through utilizing them in breeding programs, developing therapeutic agents that can be used to alter disease attributes by altering gene expression. The Lactoferrin gene having significant association with mastitis has been identified which is an iron binding protein present in biological fluids. This protein is synthesized by mammary epithelium cells and neutrophils and secreted as non-haem iron binding protein. It is a glycosylated protein having antibacterial, antiviral, immune-modulatory and iron haemostasis properties. In addition to it modulates the immune response by decreasing the free radical formation and by down regulating LPS induced cytokines and is an potent activator of immunological functions such as granulopoiesis, cytokine production, antibody synthesis, natural killer cell toxicity, lymphocyte proliferation and complement activation and production of interleukins (IL-1), (IL-2) and TNF. The lactoferrin acts as a carrier of IGFBP-3 and allows translocation of extracellular IGFBP-3 into nucleus of bovine mammary epithelium cells. Its concentration increases during dry period and during mastitis concentration may increases several folds. Moreover it modulates the immune response by decreasing the free radical formation and by down regulating LPS induced cytokines and exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria (gram-positive & negative), fungi, yeasts and viruses and parasites. Lactoferrin acts as biomarker, antioxidant and vaccine adjuvant. This paper reviews the role of lactoferrin, its mechanism of action in regulation of mammalian host defense in combating mastitis which facilitates the inclusion of mastitis resistance in bovine breeding programmes.