Expression of delta-lactoferrin induces cell cycle arrest

Delta-lactoferrin (ΔLf) mRNA is the product of alternative splicing of the Lf gene. It has been found in normal tissues and was reported to be absent from their malignant counterparts. Our recent investigations have shown that ΔLf expression is a good prognostic indicator in human breast cancer. However, ΔLf has up till now only been identified as a transcript, and in order to characterize the ΔLf protein and determine its function we have used a ΔLf cDNA construct to produce the protein in vitro and in vivo.