Antiviral
effects of plasma and milk proteins: lactoferrin shows potent activity
against both human immunodeficiency virus and human cytomegalovirus
replication in vitro.
Harmsen MC, Swart
PJ, de Bethune MP, Pauwels R, De Clercq E, The TH, Meijer DK.
Department of
Immunology, University of Groningen, Netherlands.
Native and chemically
derivatized proteins purified from serum and milk were assayed in
vitro to assess their inhibiting capacity on the cytopathic effect
of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and human cytomegalovirus
(HCMV) on MT4 cells and fibroblasts, respectively.
Only native and
conformationally intact lactoferrin from bovine or human milk, colostrum,
or serum could completely block HCMV infection (IC50 = 35-100 micrograms/mL).
Moreover, native lactoferrin also inhibited the HIV-1-induced cytopathic
effect (IC50 = 40 micrograms/mL).
When negatively
charged groups were added to lactoferrin by succinylation, there was
a 4-fold stronger antiviral effect on HIV-1, but the antiviral potency
for HCMV infection was mostly decreased.
Lactoferrin likely
exerts its effect at the level of virus adsorption or penetration
(or both), because after HCMV penetrated fibroblasts, the ongoing
infection could not be further inhibited.
Articles
119
