title: Lactoferrin or a fragment thereof inhibits the endotoxin-induced interleukin-6 response in human monocytic cells.
abstract: Human milk is in several ways anti-inflammatory. This study investigates whether or not human milk lactoferrin (LF) in comparison with bovine LF can affect the IL-6 release from human cells. Human, as well as bovine, LF and a bactericidal pepsin-derived fragment of bovine LF (lactoferricin B) were found to suppress the IL-6 response in a monocytic cell line (THP-1) when stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The suppression of bovine LF was similar to or higher than that of human LF. Lactoferricin B was the strongest inhibitor of the LPS-induced IL-6 response. A time-dependence regarding the inhibitory capacity of LF was found. For human LF, the strongest inhibition was observed when added 15-30 min after the addition of LPS. Addition of LF before the LPS induced an approximately 45% reduction of the IL-6 response. The results suggest an anti-inflammatory activity of both human and bovine LF, and of the LF fragment lactoferricin B through their suppressive effects on the cytokine release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mattsby-Baltzer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roseanu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Motas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elverfors
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Engberg
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hanson
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D002460:Cell Line; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D007781:Lactoferrin