Lactoferrin from Canine Neutrophils: Isolation and Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties

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M. N. Berlov^1,2, E. S. Korableva¹, Yu. V. Andreeva², T. V. Ovchinnikova³, and V. N. Kokryakov^1,2*

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

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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.

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KEY WORDS: dog, neutrophil, lactoferrin, antimicrobial activity

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297907040128

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