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• Activates the immune system
• Inhibits colon, esophagus, lung and bladder carcinogenesis
• Anti-metastatic effects
• Anti-hepatitis C virus activity
• Prevents excessive inflammation

Immune-Ultra is an exceptional protein formulation based on the latest research. Thanks to its remarkable ability to stimulate the immune system, Immune-Ultraoffers new possibilities to patients suffering from immune dysfunction, infections and more importantly cancer.

Immune-Ultra contains a mixture of whey protein isolate and concentrate to which bovine lactoferrin and alpha-lactalbumin have been added. Immune-Ultra contains 4.8g of lactoferrin and 4.1g of alpha-lactalbumin per serving size. The high lactoferrin content is crucial to the effectiveness of neo-Immune. Numerous studies have documented that lactoferrin is beneficial for the immune system, that it can prevent infections, and that it is an effective anti-cancer agent.

Stimulation of the immune system
Research has clearly demonstrated that lactoferrin can directly stimulate the immune system. Lactoferrin stimulates the production of cytokines and immune cells, increases IL-18 levels (see figure 1), activates natural killer cells and enhances the cytotoxicity of neutrophils and macrophages. In short, lactoferrin helps to mount an effective immune response (see figure 4).

Thanks to its immunostimulating effect, supplemental oral lactoferrin is effective against a broad range of tumors. Initial experimental animal studies showed that bovine lactoferrin significantly inhibits colon, esophagus, lung and bladder carcinogenesis. These encouraging results led researchers to test the efficacy of recombinant human (rh) lactoferrin in cancer patients. In a preliminary trial, it was found that oral lactoferrin had an immunostimulating action at the level of the gut, inducing a systemic anti-cancer effect. Supplementation resulted in a decrease in the rate of tumor growth in 6 out of 7 patients. Tumor growth was reduced from 33.3% before treatment to 9.9% after treatment with lactoferrin for a period of 2 months (see figure 3).

After the results obtained with rh-lactoferrin in this phase I clinical trial, the US Food and Drug Administration granted Fast Track designation to the clinical development of lactoferrin. The Fast Track designation is intended for the combination of a product and a claim that address an unmet medical need. Rh-lactoferrin is currently undergoing phase II clinical trials for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Human and bovine lactoferrin share a similar structure, amino acid sequence and biological activity. Recent research has shown that bovine lactoferrin is in fact a more potent inhibitor of certain human viruses.

A direct apoptotic effect
Lactoferricin is a peptide fraction that is obtained from the digestion of lactoferrin in the stomach. Lactoferricin induces apoptosis directly in several cancerous cell lines. More specifically, lactoferricin induces apoptosis in human leukemia, lymphoma, breast, colon and ovarian cancer cells. It is thought that this induction results from an effect at the level of the mitochondrion.

Studies in cell lines have also confirmed that alpha-lactalbumin can inhibit the growth of human cancer cells.

Figure 1: Immune activation in the small intestine of mice 24h after seven consecutive daily administrations of bovine lactoferrin (bLF). IFN-g potentiates the antiviral and antitumor effects of the type I interferons. IL-18 enhances NK cell activity - the cells responsible for the destruction of cancer cells.

Prevents the spread of cancer
The formation of new blood vessels is required for tumor growth. Lactoferrin is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and therefore prevents the progression and spread of tumors (see figure 2). In vitro and animal experiments have demonstrated that lactoferrin prevents angiogenesis, probably through an inhibitory effect on vascular endothelial growth factors.

A powerful antioxidant
Whey protein and lactoferrin are rich in glutathione precursors and studies have shown that they can both effectively increase glutathione levels. Glutathione is an important antioxidant that protects immune cells such as lymphocytes, T cells and NK cells from free radicals. Higher glutathione levels increase the proliferation of immune cells in the spleen. This explains why, in animals, supplementation with whey protein has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of developing colon tumors.

The iron scavenging properties of lactoferrin also contribute to its anticancer effect. Free iron is a pro-oxidant and generates free radicals which can damage DNA and cause cancer. Lactoferrin binds to free iron, reducing the oxidation load in the body.

Effective against a variety of microorganisms
Iron is needed for bacterial growth. Lactoferrin sequesters iron, which partly explains its antibacterial activity. Animal studies have clearly demonstrated that lactoferrin reduces bacterial proliferation, preventing bacterial overgrowth in the intestines and reducing bacterial numbers in infected organs. The addition of lactoferrin to the drinking water of animals with fungal infections promotes recovery.

Lactoferrin is also effective against viruses. Other than interferon, lactoferrin is the only agent capable of reducing the presence of the hepatitis C virus in chronic hepatitis C patients. Lactoferrin also has an antiviral effect against human papillomavirus, the causative factor behind most cervical cancer cases.

Animal studies confirm that the combination of lactoferrin and chemotherapy is more effective than either treatment alone. Lactoferrin can therefore be used to increase the effectiveness of conventional treatments and also to prevent infections in cancer patients. This is a significant advantage because infections secondary to immune dysfunction are a leading cause of mortality in patients receiving radiation or chemotherapy treatments.

Increases protein intake
Immune-Ultra contains 89% protein by weight. In cancer patients, the ability to maintain adequate nutrition is essential for a favorable prognosis, and proteins are particularly important to prevent the development of cancer cachexia, a condition characterized by weight loss, muscular atrophy, weakness and anorexia.

The health benefits associated with Immune-Ultra are mediated by a variety of proteins naturally present in whey. Those proteins stimulate the immune system, provide antioxidants to the body, attack cancer cells and prevent the formation of new blood vessels which are needed for cancer growth. Lactoferrin has emerged as the most advantageous whey protein component in anticancer research. However, in order to be effective, lactoferrin is needed in large quantities. This is why Immune-Ultra contains 4.8g of lactoferrin per serving size. The research findings using high dose lactoferrin all point to the same conclusion - Immune-Ultrais an excellent option for cancer patients.

Figure 2: Inhibition of angiogenesis by bovine lactoferrin (bLF).

Figure 3: Average change in tumor growth rates in cancer patients before and after treatment with human lactoferrin (TLF).

Figure 4: Schematic representation of the role of lactoferrin in host defense.

References

Sternhagen LG, Allen JC. Growth rates of a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line are regulated by the milk protein alpha-lactalbumin. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2001;501:115-20.

Tsuda H, Sekine K, Fujita K, Ligo M. Cancer prevention by bovine lactoferrin and underlying mechanisms--a review of experimental and clinical studies.

Biochem Cell Biol. 2002;80(1):131-6.

Hayes TG, Falchook GF, Varadhachary GR, Smith DP, Davis LD, Dhingra HM, Hayes BP, Varadhachary A. Phase I trial of oral talactoferrin alfa in refractory solid tumors. Invest New Drugs. 2006 May;24(3):233-40.

Levay PF, Viljoen M. Lactoferrin: a general review. Haematologica. 1995 May-Jun;80(3):252-67.

Bounous G. Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment. Anticancer Res. 2000 Nov-Dec;20(6C):4785-92.

Brock JH. The physiology of lactoferrin. Biochem Cell Biol. 2002;80(1):1-6.

Shimamura M, Yamamoto Y, Ashino H, Oikawa T, Hazato T, Tsuda H, Iigo M. Bovine lactoferrin inhibits tumor-induced angiogenesis. Int J Cancer. 2004 Aug 10;111(1):111-6.

Tsuda H, Sekine K, Takasuka N, Toriyama-Baba H, Iigo M. Prevention of colon carcinogenesis and carcinoma metastasis by orally administered bovine lactoferrin in animals. Biofactors. 2000;12(1-4):83-8.

Mistry N, Drobni P, Naslund J, Sunkari VG, Jenssen H, Evander M. The anti-papillomavirus activity of human and bovine lactoferricin. Antiviral Res. 2007 Apr 20

Parodi PW. A Role for Milk Proteins and their Peptides in Cancer Prevention. Curr Pharm Des. 2007;13(8):813-28.

Copyright © 2005, Advanced Orthomolecular Research

Milk and dairy products in cancer prevention: focus on bovine lactoferrin.
Mutat Res. 2000 Apr;462(2-3):227-33.
Tsuda H, Sekine K, Ushida Y, Kuhara T, Takasuka N, Iigo M, Han BS, Moore MA.

 
Milk and dairy products constitute an important part of the western style diet. A large number of epidemiological studies have been conducted to determine effects of consumption on cancer development but the data are largely equivocal, presumably reflecting the different included components. It has been proposed that whereas fats in general could promote tumor development, individual milk fats like conjugated linoleic acid could exert inhibitory effects. There is also considerable evidence that calcium in milk products protects against colon cancer, while promoting in the prostate through suppression of circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Whey protein may also be beneficial, as shown by both animal and human studies, and experimental data have demonstrated that the major component bovine lactoferrin (bLF), inhibits colon carcinogenesis in the post-initiation stage in male F344 rats treated with azoxymethane (AOM) without any overt toxicity. The incidence of adenocarcinomas in the groups receiving 2% and 0.2% bLF were thus 15% and 25%, respectively, in contrast to the 57.5% control value (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). Results in other animal models have provided further indications that bLF might find application as a natural ingredient of milk with potential for chemoprevention of colon and other cancers.

Bovine lactoferrin is effective to suppress Helicobacter pylori colonization in the human stomach: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
J Infect Chemother. 2005 Dec;11(6):265-9.
Okuda M, Nakazawa T, Yamauchi K, Miyashiro E, Koizumi R, Booka M, Teraguchi S, Tamura Y, Yoshikawa N, Adachi Y, Imoto I.

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) has antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori in vitro and is effective to suppress bacterial colonization in mice. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of orally administered bLF on H. pylori colonization in humans by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Fifty-nine healthy subjects positive for H. pylori infection were recruited. Subjects were randomized into two groups. The bLF group received bLF tablets at a dosage of 200 mg b.i.d. for a period of 12 weeks, and the control group received placebo tablets without bLF. The (13)C-urea breath test (UBT) was performed before, during, and at the end of administration, and again 4 weeks after administration. Positive response was defined as more than 50% decrease of the UBT value at the end of administration. Positive response was observed in 10 of 31 bLF-treated subjects (32.3%) and 1 of 28 control subjects (3.6%), indicating that the rate of positive response in the bLF group was significantly higher than that in the control group (bLF vs. control, P < 0.01). These results suggested that bLF administration is effective to suppress H. pylori colonization.

Copyright © 2005, Advanced Orthomolecular Research