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Lactoferrin from Canine Neutrophils: Isolation and Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties


M. N. Berlov1,2, E. S. Korableva1, Yu. V. Andreeva2, T. V. Ovchinnikova3, and V. N. Kokryakov1,2*

1Ukhtomsky Institute of Physiology of St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; fax: (812) 234-9493; E-mail: kokryak@VK5270.spb.edu

2Institute for Experimental Medicine, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, ul. Akademika Pavlova 12, 197376 St. Petersburg, Russia

3Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 111997 Moscow, Russia; fax: (495) 336-4333; E-mail: ovch@ibch.ru

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received November 10, 2006; Revision received January 10, 2007
Lactoferrin has been isolated from canine leukocytes for the first time. Lactoferrin was identified by N-terminal amino acid sequence and by capability to capture ferric cations resulting in a complex with absorbance maximum at 460-470 nm. It is demonstrated that canine lactoferrin resembles the human homolog in some physicochemical properties, i.e. molecular weight, carbohydrate presence, and conditions of protein-iron complex dissociation. Bactericidal activity of dog lactoferrin was demonstrated on the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Bactericidal activity of canine lactoferrin is similar to that of human lactoferrin.
KEY WORDS: dog, neutrophil, lactoferrin, antimicrobial activity

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297907040128