Recombinant Human Serotransferrin protein

Serotransferrin, also known as transferrin, is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the liver that plays a critical role in iron transport and homeostasis. It binds to free iron ions in the bloodstream, facilitating their safe delivery to cells via transferrin receptor-mediated endocytosis. This process prevents iron-induced oxidative damage while ensuring cellular iron availability for essential functions like oxygen transport and enzyme activity. Recombinant serotransferrin is engineered using DNA technology, often expressed in mammalian cell systems (e.g., CHO or HEK293 cells) or microbial hosts, to mimic the native protein's structure and function.

The recombinant form has gained prominence as an alternative to serum-derived transferrin, particularly in biomedical research and therapeutic applications. Its production eliminates batch-to-batch variability and reduces risks associated with animal-derived components, making it suitable for cell culture systems and clinical formulations. In biopharmaceutical manufacturing, recombinant serotransferrin is widely used as a growth supplement in serum-free media to support cell proliferation and protein production for vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and gene therapies.

Structurally, the recombinant protein preserves key features including two homologous iron-binding lobes and N-linked glycosylation sites, which are crucial for receptor interaction and protein stability. Recent advances have enabled site-specific modifications to enhance its iron-binding capacity, thermal stability, or targeting specificity for drug delivery applications. Researchers also employ it to study iron-related pathologies such as anemia, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer, where altered iron metabolism is implicated. Additionally, its role in antimicrobial innate immunity (through iron sequestration) has spurred interest in developing transferrin-based antimicrobial agents. The development of hypoallergenic recombinant variants further expands its potential in therapeutic contexts, including iron supplementation and targeted cancer therapies leveraging overexpressed transferrin receptors on malignant cells.