Lactoferrin-mediated protection of the host from murine cytomegalovirus infection by a T-cell-dependent augmentation of natural killer cell activity

• DOI: 10.1007/bf01718201
• Publication Date: 2005-06-12T06:04:51Z
• Authors: K. Shimizu; H. Matsuzawa; K. Okada; S. Tazume; S. Dosako; Y. Kawasaki; K. Hashimoto; Y. Koga
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Muromegalovirus; T-Lymphocytes; Molecular Sequence Data; Mice, Nude; 3T3 Cells; Herpesviridae Infections; 3. Good health; Killer Cells, Natural; Lactoferrin; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Cattle; Amino Acid Sequence; Rabbits; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

The administration of bovine lactoferrin (LF) with 1 mg/g body weight before the murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection completely protected the BALB/c mice from death due to the infection. In these LF-treated mice, a significant increase in the activity was found in the NK cells but not in the cytolytic T lymphocytes which recognized an MCMV-derived peptide. Moreover, the elimination of the NK cell activity by an injection with anti-asialo GM1 antibody abrogated such augmented resistance, thus supporting the hypothesis that the LF-mediated antiviral effect in vivo is performed through the augmentation of NK cell activity. No such LF-mediated antiviral effect in vivo with the increased NK cell activity was found in athymic nude mice, whereas it was restored completely by the transfer of splenic T cells from LF-treated donors. These findings therefore suggest that T lymphocytes induce both the augmentation of NK cell activity and the resultant antiviral effect in the LF-treated hosts.