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The aim of this study was to monitor several immune parameters in 17 healthy volunteers taking orally commercially available capsules containing bovine lactoferrin (BLFT) for 10 days (40 mg of BLFT daily). We determined leukocyte number and content of main blood cell types, spontaneous and phytohemagglutinin A (PHA)-induced proliferation of lymphocytes, plasma levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of these cytokines in peripheral blood cell cultures. All measurements were performed before, one day and 14 days following cessation of BLFT treatment. We established some, transient drop in the percentage of neutrophils accompanied by an opposite phenomenon with regard to lymphocyte levels. More profound changes were registered in the percentage of other cell types, for example a 100% increase in the level of immature cell forms (bands) was noted. At the same time the percentages of eosinophils and monocytes declined significantly. All these changes were, however, more individual and regulatory, the direction of these changes depended on initial picture of blood cells. Although the proliferative response of lymphocytes showed, on average, a transient decrease, differentiated effects of BLFT treatment were observed depending on initial ability of lymphocytes to proliferate. TNF-alpha serum levels showed a tendency to decrease during the monitoring time, the changes of IL-6 levels were, however, not significant. As in the case of the proliferative response, the treatment with BLFT was regulatory with respect to serum TNF-alpha levels. When we analyzed spontaneous and LPS-induced cytokine production in cell cultures we found that mainly the mean spontaneous response was affected (inhibition). We also observed a typical, regulatory action of BLFT on the level of spontaneously produced IL-6. This kind of regulatory action of BLFT was also found in the case of spontaneously produced TNF-alpha in cell cultures. The influence of other ingredients such as selenium or vitamins, contained in the capsules, cannot be excluded, although our latest data showed that orally taken bovine lactoferrin alone can induce identical changes as BLFT. Taken together, we revealed regulatory effects of oral treatment with commercially available capsules, containing BLFT. The results indicate that oral administration on BLFT-containing capsules may regulate some immune parameters in healthy individuals. In addition, the data suggest that bovine lactoferrin may be applied in clinic to improve the immune status of patients.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are autoantibodies directed against cytoplasmic constituents of neutrophil granulocytes. Antibodies with specificity for proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase are seromarkers for systemic vasculitides. ANCA with specificity for lactoferrin were described in patients with several idiopathic inflammatory diseases, such as the inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the clinical significance of anti-lactoferrin autoantibodies is still unclear. In this study, we determined the clinical significance of anti-lactoferrin autoantibodies in sera from large groups of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Antibodies to human lactoferrin were detected by ELISA and by immunoblotting, using an extract of sonicated neutrophils as antigen source. Autoantibodies to lactoferrin were found in 29% of patients with UC, 13% of patients with CD, and 22% of patients with PSC. In inflammatory bowel diseases, the presence of anti-lactoferrin antibodies was not related to treatment, disease activity, duration of disease, or disease extent. In PSC, the presence of autoantibodies to lactoferrin did not correlate with duration of disease or the presence of cirrhosis. However, patients with PSC and coexistent UC had significantly more frequently antibodies to lactoferrin than PSC patients without IBD. In conclusion, autoantibodies to lactoferrin are a common feature of inflammatory bowel diseases and PSC. However, the clinical significance of those autoantibodies is limited as they lack sensitivity and specificity for those disorders. Future research should address the pathophysiological role of anti-lactoferrin ANCA and the influence of anti-lactoferrin ANCA binding on the functional properties of the lactoferrin molecule.

International audience; Monoclonal antibodies have been raised against the soluble lactotransferrin binding protein purified from the cell culture supernatant of Jurkat cell line, a human T-lymphoblastic cell. All monoclonal antibodies were able to specifically bind to the membrane of Jurkat cells. One of the monoclonal antibodies, DP5B3G10, recognized both the soluble lactotransferrin-binding protein and the membrane lymphocyte lactotransferrin receptor after SDS-PAGE in presence of 2-mercaptoethanol and electrotransfer on nitrocellulose. The monoclonal antibody DP5B3G10 inhibited the binding of lactotransferrin to Jurkat cells and human peripheral activated lymphocytes. In addition, lactotransferrin inhibited the binding of the monoclonal antibody to the cell surface. These results suggest that the 95 kDa lactotransferrin-binding protein isolated from the cell culture medium corresponds to the soluble form of the 105 kDa lymphocyte lactotransferrin receptor. Corresponding proteins of 105 kDa molecular mass were identified in Jurkat and CEM T-cells and Raji B-cells. Finally, the monoclonal antibody DP5B3G10 was used to immunolocalize the lactotransferrin receptor on the Jurkat cells. Using fluorescence and electron microscopy, the receptor was localized both inside and at the cell surface. The cell membrane receptor was associated into clusters. After permeabilization of the plasma membrane, the staining was positive in the peri-membrane area. The region near the nucleus was devoid of receptor.

International audience; Lactotransferrin (Lf), an iron-binding glycoprotein present as a major component in the specific granules of human neutrophilic granulocytes is released in the blood during the acute phase of infection and participates in the regulation of the host-defence mechanisms. Our previous observations (Mazurier et al., 1989) showing i) that the activation by PHA of T-lymphocytes induces the appearance at the cell surface of Lf-receptors which are absent from the membrane of resting lymphocytes and ii) that Lf becomes a growth factor for the activated lymphocytes, led us to undertake a series of researches on the presence of Lf receptors at the surface of different blood cells. Characterization of Lf receptors was performed by flow cytofluorimetry using either Lf labelled on its glycan moiety with fluorescein or purified anti-lymphocyte Lf receptor antibodies. High affinity receptors for Lf were characterized only at the surface of human activated lymphocytes and of non-activated platelets. These two receptors possess common physicochemical properties and antigenic epitopes. Low affinity receptors for Lf were characterized on monocytes, eosinophils and neutrophils. These receptors are immunologically different from those found on activated lymphocytes and on non-activated platelets. Cell-lines of human lymphocyte T and megakaryocyte possess lactotransferrin receptors whose properties are similar to those found on peripheral blood cells. The soluble form of the receptor identified in the lymphocytes T culture medium possesses a molecular mass close to that of the membrane receptor suggesting that the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor should be very short.

International audience; Fluorescein isothiocyanate derivatization of human lactotransferrin on Lys-264 as well as covalent addition of sulfosuccinimidyl 2-(p-azidosalicylamido)ethyl-1,3'- dithiopropionate (SASD)* on Lys-74 inhibits the binding of the glycoprotein to both human PHA-activated lymphocytes and non-activated platelets. This suggests that the cell binding site of lactotransferrin is located in the vicinity of the lysine residues 74 & 264 and does not occur either through electrostatic or lectin interactions. In contrast, the derivatization of lactotransferrin using sulfosuccinimidyl 6-(4'-azido-2'-nitrophenyl-amino) hexanoate (sulfo-SANPAH), on Lys-281 does not modify the binding parameters of lactotransferrin to the cells. Molecular modeling showed the position of SASD, sulfo-SANPAH and fluorescein molecules at the surface of the protein and suggested that SASD and fluorescein could mask the two loop-containing regions of human lactotransferrin (residues 28-34 and 38-45). Elsewhere, a 6 kDa peptide covering the peptide chain from residues 4 to 52 was isolated and its inhibitory effect on the binding of lactotransferrin to both human PHA-activated lymphocytes and non-activated platelets was demonstrated. Inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation by lactotransferrin (50% inhibition = 10 nM) was also found with the N-t fragment of lactotransferrin (residues 3-281; 50% inhibition = 2 microM) and with two synthetic peptides: KRDS tetrapeptide (50% inhibition = 350 microM) and CFQWQRNMRKVRGPPVSC octodecapeptide (50% inhibition = 20 microM) corresponding to the lactotransferrin amino acid sequence 39-42 and 20-37, respectively.

International audience; The recent determination by X-ray diffraction of the tridimensional structure of human lactotransferrin has underlined the presence of two lobes, each composed of two domains, I and II, as well as the involvement of five ligands in the binding of iron. Only one of the ligands (Asp-61) is located in domain I (residues 1-90 and 252-320), while the others [two tyrosine, one histidine and one (bi)carbonate ion linked to an arginine residue] belong to domain II (residues 91-251). On the basis of these data and of our previous results concerning the isolation of the 30 kDa N-tryptic fragment (residues 4-281) and the 20 kDa N2-glycopeptide (N-terminal domain II; residues 91-253) from human and bovine lactotransferrins, we have compared the iron-binding properties of these two fragments. The results demonstrate that Asp-61, which is missing from domain II, does not take part in the stability upon protonation of the iron complex of both human and bovine lactotransferrins. Furthermore, by comparing the iron-binding properties of human and bovine lactotransferrins to those of isolated 30 kDa N-tryptic and 50 kDa C-tryptic fragments and of the reassociated N,C-tryptic complex of both proteins, it has been shown that the non-covalent interactions which occurred between the two lobes of lactotransferrins and in the reassociated N,C-tryptic complex can explain in part the high affinity of lactotransferrins for iron. Finally, deglycosylation experiments on the 30 kDa N-tryptic fragment and N-terminal domain II from human and bovine lactotransferrins demonstrate that full removal of the glycan moiety leads to the loss of iron-binding capacity and so underlines the importance of the glycan moiety in the stability upon protonation of the N-terminal iron-binding site of both lactotransferrins.

Human lactotransferrin was characterized in the faecal extracts from breastfed babies. Quantitative determination of human copro-lactotransferrin from birth for a period of up to 3 weeks showed that the daily elimination decreased from 35 to 5 mg. The amount of copro-lactotransferrin corresponding to the endogenous secretion was calculated to be from 0.5 to 1 mg per day. When a cow's milk diet supplemented by partially or completely iron-saturated human or bovine lactotransferrin was fed to the babies, the amounts of copro-lactotransferrin excreted depended on the origin and on the iron saturation of the lactoransferrin. In particular, the amount of bovine copro-lactotransferrin in the faeces averaged 200 mg per day. The human and bovine copro-lactotransferrins were isolated by ion-exchange chromatography or by affinity chromatography and were still able to bind iron. The fingerprints of native human and bovine lactotransferrins hydrolysed in vitro by infant's gastric or duodenal secretions showed that both proteins were not extensively digested. This demonstrates that these lactotransferrins ingested by babies are not completely destroyed and keep their ability to bind iron, and thus may supplement the bacteriostatic effects of the endogenous lactotransferrin in the intestinal tract.