Compositions and methods for proteolytically inactivating infectious agents using lactoferrin and related molecules

A method for substantially reducing the pathogenicity of an infectious agent, without killing said infectious agent, by removing or degrading a surface protein of said infectious agent, said method comprising contacting said infectious agent with recombinant lactoferrin under conditions sufficient to remove or degrade said protein.

A method for substantially reducing the pathogenicity of an infectious agent, without killing said infectious agent, by removing or degrading a surface protein of said infectious agent, said method comprising contacting said infectious agent with a substantially pure fragment of non-pasteurized, naturally occurring lactoferrin under conditions sufficient to remove or degrade said protein.

A method of inhibiting microbial colonization in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal a therapeutically effective amount of substantially pure, non-pasteurized, naturally-occurring lactoferrin.

A method of inhibiting microbial colonization in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a substantially pure fragment of non-pasteurized, naturally-occurring lactoferrin.

A method for substantially inactivating an infectious agent comprising contacting said infectious agent with substantially pure, non-pasteurized, naturally-occurring lactoferrin under inactivating conditions.

A method for substantially inactivating an infectious agent comprising contacting said infectious agent with a substantially pure fragment of lactoferrin under inactivating conditions, wherein said fragment has at least 100 amino acid residues.

An antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially pure, non-pasteurized, naturally-occurring lactoferrin and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

An antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition comprising a substantially pure fragment of non-pasteurized, naturally-occurring lactoferrin and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method for producing an attenuated vaccine comprising the steps of

• (a) contacting an infectious agent with lactoferrin under conditions sufficient to substantially inactivate said infectious agent;
• and
• (b) formulating said inactivated infectious agent into a vaccine.

A method for producing an attenuated vaccine comprising the steps of

• (a) contacting an infectious agent with a substantially pure fragment of lactoferrin under conditions sufficient to substantially inactivate said infectious agent;
• and
• (b) formulating said inactivated infectious agent into a vaccine.

An attenuated vaccine comprising a substantially inactivated infectious agent, wherein said infectious agent is inactivated with lactoferrin.

An attenuated vaccine comprising a substantially inactivated infectious agent, wherein said infectious agent is inactivated with a substantially pure fragment of lactoferrin.

A substantially pure peptide consisting of the N-terminal lobe of lactoferrin, wherein said lobe is isolated from non-pasteurized, naturally-occurring lactoferrin.