▁mechanism ▁of ▁ant iv iral ▁activity ▁of ▁la ct o fer rin ▁is ▁its ▁di version ▁of ▁virus ▁particles ▁from ▁the ▁target ▁cells . ▁Many ▁vir uses ▁tend ▁to ▁bind ▁to ▁the ▁li pop rote ins ▁of ▁the ▁cell ▁memb ran es ▁and ▁then ▁pen et rate ▁into ▁the ▁cell . ▁L act o fer rin ▁bind s ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁li pop rote ins ▁thereby ▁rep elling ▁the ▁virus ▁particles . ▁Iron - free ▁ap ol act o fer rin ▁is ▁more ▁efficient ▁in ▁this ▁function ▁than ▁hol ol act o fer rin ; ▁and ▁la ct o fer ric in , ▁which ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁ant im icro b ial ▁properties ▁of ▁la ct o fer rin , ▁shows ▁almost ▁no ▁ant iv iral ▁activity . ▁ ▁Bes ide ▁interact ing ▁with ▁the ▁cell ▁memb rane , ▁la ct o fer rin ▁also ▁directly ▁bind s ▁to ▁vir al ▁particles , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁he pat itis ▁vir uses . ▁This ▁mechanism ▁is ▁also ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁ant iv iral ▁activity ▁of ▁la ct o fer rin ▁against ▁rot av ir uses , ▁which ▁act ▁on ▁different ▁cell ▁types . ▁ ▁L act o fer rin ▁also ▁suppress es ▁virus ▁rep lication ▁after ▁the ▁virus ▁pen etr ated ▁into ▁the ▁cell . ▁Such ▁an ▁indirect ▁ant iv iral ▁effect ▁is ▁achieved ▁by ▁affect ing ▁ ▁natural ▁k iller ▁cells , ▁gran ul ocy tes ▁and ▁macro ph ages ▁– ▁cells , ▁which ▁play ▁a ▁cru cial ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁stages