title: Human lactoferrin induces phenotypic and functional changes in murine splenic B cells.
abstract: The immunotropic activities of human lactoferrin were studied with respect to phenotypic and functional changes in murine splenic B cells. Phenotypic changes were induced by human lactoferrin in splenic B-cell fractions separated by buoyant density. B cells from 7-8-day-old BALB/c mice isolated from a 50/60% Percoll gradient, gained characteristic features of more mature B cells manifested by an increase of surface IgD and complement receptor expression. Incubation of the analogous B-cell fraction from adult mice with human lactoferrin resulted in minor changes in relation to IgM and IgD expression. Besides induction of phenotypic changes on immature B cells, human lactoferrin enabled B cells from normal newborn and adult immunodeficient CBA/N mice to present antigen to an antigen-specific T-helper type 2 (Th2) cell line. We conclude that human lactoferrin acts as a maturation factor for B cells with regard to their phenotype and function.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimecki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazurier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spik
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kapp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen; D007781:Lactoferrin