title: Apoptotic effects of bovine apo-lactoferrin on HeLa tumor cells.
abstract: Lactoferrin (Lf), a cationic iron-binding glycoprotein of 80 kDa present in body secretions, is known as a compound with marked antimicrobial activity. In the present study, the apoptotic effect of iron-free bovine lactoferrin (apo-bLf) on human epithelial cancer (HeLa) cells was examined in association with reactive oxygen species and glutathione (GSH) levels. Apoptotic effect of iron-free bovine lactoferrin inhibited the growth of HeLa cells after 48 hours of treatment while the diferric-bLf was ineffective in the concentration range tested (from 1 to 12.5 μM). Western blot analysis showed that key apoptotic regulators including Bax, Bcl-2, Sirt1, Mcl-1, and PARP-1 were modulated by 1.25 μM of apo-bLf. In the same cell line, apo-bLf induced apoptosis together with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, caspase activation, and a significant drop of NAD+. In addition, apo-bLf-treated HeLa cells showed a marked increase of reactive oxygen species level and a significant GSH depletion. On the whole, apo-bLf triggered apoptosis of HeLa cells upon oxygen radicals burst and GSH decrease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brisdelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Argante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carnicelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Giulio
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lizzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000633:toxicity*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C579095:MCL1 protein, human; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D009243:NAD; D007781:Lactoferrin; D020169:Caspases; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: HeLa; ROS; apoptosis; caspase; glutathione; lactoferrin