Lactoferrin and Metoprolol Supplementation Increase Mouse Survival in an Experimental LPS-Induced Sepsis Model

Sepsis, a result of a hyperreaction of the immune system to acute infection, has been recognized as a significant healthcare challenge due to the considerable associated morbidity and mortality. In this study, the antisepsis effects of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) and metoprolol were evaluated in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis model in mice. Eighty mice were divided into two equal groups and received LPS or PBS inoculation. Prior to LPS/PBS inoculation, each group was further divided into four equal groups to receive saline solution (SS), metoprolol, bLF, or bLF + metoprolol. Mouse survival was monitored at 0, 3, 24, 48 and 96 h after LPS/PBS inoculation, and blood was collected for inflammatory cytokine and lactate measurements. Morphological and structural changes in vital organs, such as the heart, kidney, and liver, were recorded. The survival rates of septic mice treated with metoprolol, bLF, and bLF + metoprolol significantly improved compared to those of mice treated with SS. The levels of inflammatory cytokines and lactate decreased in the bLF and bLF + metoprolol groups, and tissue injury was diminished in all groups compared with septic LPS-SS mice. This study shows an antisepsis effect of bLF against LPS-induced sepsis in mice, an effect that is boosted in combination with metoprolol, indicating a novel option to prevent or treat sepsis.