LACTOFERRIN MARKEDLY INHIBITS HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-INFECTION IN CULTUREDHUMAN HEPATOCYTES

We found that bovine lactoferrin (bLF), a milk protein belonging to th e iron transporter family, effectively prevented hepatitis C virus (HC V) infection in cultured human hepatocytes (PH5CH8), a cell line susce ptible to HCV infection and supportive of HCV replication. Because pre incubation of HCV with bLF was required to prevent the infection of HC V to the cells, and preincubation of bLF with the cells showed no inhi bitory effect on HCV infection, we demonstrated that the anti-HCV acti vity of bLF was due to the interaction of bLF with HCV, but not due to the interaction of bLF with the cells. We further found that human la ctoferrin also had anti-HCV activity, but bovine transferrin, the othe r member of the iron transporter family, did not have anti-HCV activit y. Our findings suggest that lactoferrin is one of candidates for an a nti-HCV reagent that will be well-tolerated and effective in the treat ment of patients with chronic hepatitis. (C) 1998 Academic Press.