Lactoferrin Alleviates Inflammation and Regulates Gut Microbiota Composition in H5N1-Infected Mice.

ABSTRACT: The impact of lactoferrin, an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with iron-binding properties, on the intestinal barrier and microflora of mice infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus remains unclear. To investigate the effects of lactoferrin on the histopathology and intestinal microecological environment, we conducted a study using H5N1-infected mice. H5N1 infection resulted in pulmonary and intestinal damage, as well as an imbalance in gut microbiota, significantly increasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter. The consumption of lactoferrin in the diet alleviated lung injury and restored the downregulation of the INAVA gene and intestinal dysfunction caused by H5N1 infection. Lactoferrin not only reduced lung

SUBMITTER: Huang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10421285 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature