PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF LACTOFERRICIN AGAINST TOXOPLASMA-GONDII INFECTION IN MICE

The protective effect of lactoferricin against Toxoplasma gondii infec tion was examined in experimental murine toxoplasmosis. All mice orall y administered 5.0 mg of lactoferricin, and challenged with cysts of T . gondii at a dose of LD90 survived until the end of experiment (35 da ys post challenge). Intraperitoneal administration of 0.1 mg of lactof erricin also prevented death in 100 % of treated mice challenged with T. gondii cysts. in contrast, 80 % of untreated mice died of acute tox oplasmosis within 14 days post challenge. In the mice treated perorall y with lactoferricin, the number of cysts in the brain was significant ly lower than that in untreated mice. Levels of interferon-r in the se rum of infected mice treated perorally with lactoferricin showed a ten dency to lower than those in the infected mice without treatment. Thes e results demonstrate that oral administration of lactoferricin induce s resistance to T. gondii infection in mice.