title: Augmented release of human leucocyte lactoferrin (and elastase) during coagulation.
abstract: Lactoferrin, an iron binding protein, present in specific granules of neutrophils has been shown to be released concomitantly with elastase, when neutrophils are activated in vitro. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, lactoferrin release has been studied during blood coagulation, a more physiological system for studying the in vivo neutrophil activation in vitro. The assay has a lower detection limit of 1.0 ng/ml with intra and interassay coefficients of variation of 8 and 14% respectively. Median plasma and serum lactoferrin levels were 144 and 705 ng/ml respectively. The difference was statistically significant at p less than 0.0001. The median elastase proteinase inhibitor complex (EPIC) levels in plasma and serum were 85 and 176.5 ng/ml respectively. This difference was also highly significant at p less than 0.0001. There was no correlation between these parameters in the plasma samples. However, there was a statistically significant correlation between these measurements in sera at p less than 0.001 (Kendall's rank correlation). Release of lactoferrin and elastase-A1PIC during coagulation reflects the activation of neutrophils in vivo, especially during inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Adeyemi
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hodgson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000097:blood*; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D007781:Lactoferrin; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase