Korean Journal of Agricultural Science ISSN:2466-2402(Print) 2466-2410(Online) 농업과학연구

Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein which is present in colostrum, milk, and other body secretions. Lactoferrin activities are associated with inflammatory and immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lactoferrin hydrolysates (LH) on the production of immunomodulatory factors such as inflammatory related cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, interleukin (IL)-6, and interleukin (IL)- 13) in Raw264.7 cells, which originated from murine macrophages. The results show that the Raw264.7 cells cultured in 3 types (whole, and above and below 10 kDa) of lactoferrin hydrolysates (LH) did not show any cytotoxicity in the cells. TNF-α decreased dosedependently to 1,500 - 2,000 ng/mL by treatment with the 3 types of LH at 1, 50, 100 μg/mL, whereas the positive control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and negative control produced 2,450 and 1,000 ng/mL of TNF-α, respectively, in the Raw264.7 cells. The treatment with the 3 types of LH (whole and above and below 10 kDa) at 50 μg/mL produced about 20 - 28 ng/mL of IL- 1β at 3, 6, and 9 h, respectively, while the negative control produced 7 ng/mL, and LPS as the positive control produced 48 - 60 ng/mL. TNF-α and IL-6 expression was decreased dosedependently by the 3 types of LH. The mRNA levels of IL-13 were slightly increased dosedependently by the whole and above 10 kDa LH, but decreased dose-dependently by the below 10 kDa LH in the Raw264.7 cells. The results show that LH had immunomodulating effects on cytokine production in anti- and pro-inflammatory reactions as well as anti-allergic reactions.