title: Oral lactoferrin protects against experimental candidiasis in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of human lactoferrin (hLF) in protecting the oral cavities of mice against Candida albicans infection in lactoferrin knockout (LFKO(-/-)) mice was compared to wild-type (WT) mice. We also aim to determine the protective role of hLF in LFKO(-/-) mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibiotic-treated immunosuppressed mice were inoculated with C. albicans (or sham infection) by oral swab and evaluated for the severity of infection after 7 days of infection. To determine the protective role of hLF, we added 0·3% solution of hLF to the drinking water given to some of the mice. CFU count, scoring of lesions and microscopic observations were carried out to determine the severity of infection. LFKO(-/-) I mice showed a 2 log (P = 0·001) higher CFUs of C. albicans in the oral cavity compared to the WT mice infected with C. albicans (WTI). LFKO(-/-) I mice given hLF had a 3 log (P = 0·001) reduction in CFUs in the oral cavity compared to untreated LFKO(-/-) I mice. The severity of infection, observed by light microscopy, revealed that the tongue of the LFKO(-/-) I mice showed more white patches compared to WTI and LFKO(-/-) I + hLF mice. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that more filiform papillae were destroyed in LFKO(-/-) I mice when compared to WTI or LFKO(-/-) I + hLF mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human LF is important in protecting mice from oral C. albicans infection. Administered hLF may be used to prevent C. albicans infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human LF, a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein can be used as a therapeutic active ingredient in oral healthcare products against C. albicans.
authors.affiliation: RUTGERS School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Velliyagounder
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alsaedi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alabdulmohsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fine
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C490098:LTF protein, human; C552902:Ltf protein, mouse; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: Candida albicans; experimental candidiasis; human lactoferrin; lactoferrin knockout; oral candidiasis