Human milk is a source of biologically active proteins, including lactoferrin (LF) and antibodies (Abs). These proteins are considered as the most polyfunctional proteins of human milk. Apparently, human milk is not a simple mixture of proteins and peptides: recently it was shown that human milk contains stable supramolecular protein complex, composed of LF, α‐lactalbumin, milk albumin, β‐casein, IgG, and sIgA molecules. We believe that the whole set of different biological functions of the individual milk proteins is significantly supplemented by features of their complexes.
Part of the book: Milk Proteins
Schizophrenia is usually a progressive mental illness with very different polymorphic symptoms. Several different theories of schizophrenia were discussed; the causes of this disease are not yet clear. Destruction of DNA, RNA, and myelin basic protein (MBP) by inflammation caused by autoimmune reactions has been revealed. Healthy humans usually do not develop abzymes. It was shown that DNase, RNase, and MBP-hydrolyzing abzymes are easily detectable at the beginning of different autoimmune diseases (AIDs). During the development of spontaneous and induced AIDs in mice, a specific reorganization of their immune system associated with the generation of abzymes hydrolyzing different autoantigens was revealed. SCZ is currently not assigned to classical autoimmune diseases. However, the sera of approximately 30% of SCZ patients demonstrated a high level of anti-DNA Abs (comparing to 37% of SLE patients); abzymes hydrolyzing DNA, RNA, and MBP were revealed in 80–100% of SCZ patients. The site-specific hydrolysis of four known SCZ-specific microRNA playing an important role in the regulation of several genes functioning was revealed. Anti-MBP IgGs hydrolyze specifically only MBP but not other proteins. The data indicate that SCZ patients may to a certain extent show similar to SLE and MS patients’ typical signs of autoimmune processes.
Part of the book: Psychotic Disorders