IMMUNOLOGICAL CROSS-REACTION BETWEEN LACTOFERRIN AND TRANSFERRIN

Hardly any or only a weak immunological cross-reaction was found betwe en native lactoferrin (Lf) and transferrin (Tf). However, when these i ron-binding proteins were denatured with sodium dodecyl sulfate and di thiothreitol, a definite immunological cross-reaction was detected bet ween them. These results indicate that although Lf and Tf are immunolo gically quite different from each other in their native forms, they ha ve the common antigenic determinant(s) in their unfolded forms.