Lactoperoxidase is a peroxidase enzyme secreted from mammary, salivary and other mucosal glands including the lungs, bronchii and nose that functions as a natural and the first line of defense against antibacterial and antiviral agents. Lactoperoxidase is a member of the heme peroxidase family of enzymes. In humans, lactoperoxidase is encoded by the LPO gene. This gene encodes a member of the peroxidase family of proteins. The encoded preproprotein is proteolytically processed to generate the mature enzyme. Following its secretion from salivary, mammary, and other mucosal glands, this enzyme catalyzes the generation of the antimicrobial substance hypothiocyanous acid. This gene is present in a gene cluster on chromosome 17. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants, at least one of which encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed.