title: Growth inhibitory effect of bovine lactoferrin on Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in murine macrophages: role of radical oxygen and inorganic nitrogen oxide in Toxoplasma growth-inhibitory activity.
abstract: To study the effector pathway of Toxoplasma growth-inhibitory activity induced by lactoferrin in murine macrophage, the role of reactive oxygen intermediates (O2-) and inorganic nitric oxide (NO) was examined. Production of O2- was diminished in cultures of macrophages supplemented with lactoferrin and the effect of lactoferrin was dose and time dependent. Production of NO was enhanced in cultures of macrophages supplemented with interferon-gamma, but not with lactoferrin. These findings suggest that this Toxoplasma growth-inhibitory activity induced by lactoferrin in macrophages is not mediated by O2- or NO molecules. A competitive inhibitor of the L-arginine dependent effector pathway, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (NG MMA), virtually abolished the inhibitory effects induced by interferon-gamma. Similarly, the inhibitory activity induced by lactoferrin was also diminished in cultures supplemented with NG MMA. From these findings, it appears that the Toxoplasma growth-inhibitory activity induced by lactoferrin in macrophages may be mediated by an L-arginine-dependent effector pathway that does not involve NO production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Omata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narisawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirumi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008892:Milk; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007781:Lactoferrin