ANTI-INVASIVE ACTIVITY OF BOVINE LACTOFERRIN AGAINST LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES

We have investigated the possible role of bovine lactoferrin in protec ting the intestinal epithelium from bacterial infections, using as an in vitro model enterocyte-like cell lines HT-39 and Caco-2 infected wi th a food-borne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. When infection occur red in the presence of 1 mg/ml of bovine lactoferrin, in the form of a polactoferrin or iron- or manganese-saturated forms, the adhesion of b acteria to eukaryotic cells was unaffected, but the number of internal ized bacteria was reduced by 42- to 125-fold. The possibility of a tox ic effect of lactoferrin was excluded, because bovine lactoferrin was used at nonbactericidal and noncytotoxic concentrations.