title: Human lactoferrin binding in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Human lactoferrin (HLf) is an iron-binding protein and a host-defence component at the mucosal surface. Recently, a specific receptor for HLf has been identified on a strain of Staphylococcus aureus associated with toxic shock syndrome. We have looked for the occurrence of 125I-HLf binding among 489 strains of S. aureus isolated from various clinical sources. HLf binding was common among S. aureus strains associated with furunculosis (94.3%), toxic shock syndrome (94.3%), endocarditis (83.3%) and septicaemia (82.8%) and other (nasal, vaginal or ocular) infections (96.1%) with a mean binding (in fmol) of 29.1, 21.9, 16.9, 22.2 and 29.2 respectively; the differences between mean HLf binding values of 29.1-29.2, 21.9-22.2 and 16.9 were significant. Furunculosis-associated (low-invasive or localised) isolates were high-to-moderate binders of HLf; 50% gave positive results at a threshold of greater than 31 fmol of 125I-HLf bound. In contrast, endocarditis-associated (high-invasive or systemic) isolates demonstrated low binding and did not bind 125I-HLf at the above threshold level. S. aureus recognised human or bovine Lf. However, bound 125I-HLf was more effectively inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by unlabelled bovine Lf than by homologous HLf. Binding of 125I-HLf to staphylococci was optimal with organisms grown in agar compared with those from broth cultures. The binding capacity of S. aureus was abolished when strains were grown on carbohydrate- and salt-rich agar media. HLf-binding ability of S. aureus did not correlate with fibronectin, fibrinogen, immunoglobulin G or laminin binding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Naidu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miedzobrodzki
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Musser
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Rosdahl
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hedström
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forsgren
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000382:microbiology; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005667:Furunculosis / Q000382:microbiology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005353:Fibronectins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007797:Laminin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D007781:Lactoferrin