lactoferrin and Pneumonia--Bacterial

To determine the antimicrobial activity of nisin F against Staphylococcus aureus in the respiratory tract.. The respiratory tract of nonimmunosuppressed and immunosuppressed Wistar rats were colonized with 4 x 10(5) viable cells of S. aureus K and then treated by administering 8192 arbitrary units (AU) nisin F intranasal. Symptoms of pneumonia were detected in the trachea and lungs of immunosuppressed rats that had not been treated with nisin F. The trachea and lungs of immunosuppressed rats treated with nisin F were healthy. No significant differences were recorded in blood cell indices. The antimicrobial activity of low concentrations nisin F (80-320 AU ml(-1)) was slightly stimulated by lysozyme and lactoferrin.. Nisin F inhibited the growth of S. aureus K in the respiratory tract of immunocompromised rats. Treatment with nisin F at 8192 AU proofed safe, as the trachea, lungs, bronchi and haematology of the rats appeared normal.. Nisin F is nontoxic and may be used to control respiratory tract infections caused by S. aureus. This is, however, a preliminary study with an animal model and need to be confirmed with studies on humans.

Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Animals; Bronchi; Drug Interactions; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Lactoferrin; Lung; Male; Muramidase; Nisin; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Respiratory Tract Infections; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus aureus; Trachea

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are one of the major effector cells of pulmonary defence against bacterial infection. To determine whether neutrophil function is impaired in patients with severe pneumonia, we assessed the two main partial functions exocytosis and oxidative response (ROS production) in isolated neutrophils from the peripheral venous blood of pneumonia patients and healthy volunteers. In addition, pulmonary neutrophils and peripheral neutrophils were compared in pneumonia patients.. Twenty-one patients with severe pneumonia were enrolled in the study. Eleven patients were mechanically ventilated, ten patients breathed spontaneously. For comparison, ten healthy adults were studied. The release of two markers of neutrophil exocytosis, lactoferrin and myeloperoxidase (MPO), with and without stimulation by phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA), was determined using immunoluminometric assays. ROS production was quantified using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence. In addition, the clinical severity of pneumonia was correlated to neutrophil exocytosis.. With regard to blood neutrophils, both basal and PMA-stimulated exocytosis were significantly impaired in pneumonia patients compared to healthy volunteers (basal lactoferrin secretion in pneumonia patients: 0.25+/-0.36 pg/PMN versus controls: 1.17+/-0.78 pg/PMN, p<0.01). In contrast, both basal and PMA-stimulated ROS production were increased in patients compared to controls (spontaneous chemiluminescence in pneumonia patients: 13.6x10(5) cpm versus controls: 5.5x10(5) cpm). In pneumonia patients, the pulmonary neutrophils released significantly more lactoferrin, MPO and ROS compared to blood neutrophils (basal lactoferrin secretion of pulmonary neutrophils: 1.19+/-1.55 pg/PMN; p<0,01). However, after stimulation with PMA the exocytosis of pulmonary and blood neutrophils was similar. The severity of pneumonia and prognostic indices like albumin were inversely correlated to the release of lactoferrin in blood neutrophils (p<0,05).. In patients with severe pneumonia, the exocytosis of blood neutrophils was significantly impaired. In contrast to this, the oxidative response was increased. Impaired bone marrow maturation of neutrophils during severe infection, perhaps due to shortened maturation time, could explain these findings.

Topics: Adult; Bronchoalveolar Lavage; C-Reactive Protein; Case-Control Studies; Exocytosis; Female; Humans; Lactoferrin; Luminescent Measurements; Male; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Peroxidase; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Respiration, Artificial; Serum Albumin; Severity of Illness Index

The role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of pneumonia is still poorly understood. In a previous study the diagnostic value of measuring blood concentrations of interleukin 6 and interferon gamma was established. In the present study the value of blood concentrations of interleukin 8, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and lactoferrin as markers of bacteraemic pneumonia is evaluated.. The circulating concentrations of interleukin 8 (IL-8), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), and lactoferrin were measured in 14 patients with bacteraemic pneumococcal pneumonia and 49 patients with atypical pneumonia or influenza A infection using enzyme immunoassays.. Serum G-CSF concentrations were higher in the group with bacteraemic pneumococcal pneumonia, and G-CSF values correlated with the white blood cell count and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). The levels of IL-8 were higher in the group with bacteraemic pneumococcal pneumonia than the groups with Chlamydia pneumonia, Legionella pneumonia, or influenza A infection, but there was no difference when compared with the group with Mycoplasma pneumonia. A white blood cell count of > 15 x 10(9)/l was highly suggestive of bacteraemic pneumonia. The concentrations of lactoferrin were raised in all groups except those with influenza A infection, but no difference was found between the different aetiological groups. A correlation was found between lactoferrin and white blood cell counts.. Serum G-CSF and IL-8 concentrations are potential markers of bacteraemic pneumonia.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers; Chlamydia Infections; Cytokines; Female; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Humans; Influenza A virus; Influenza, Human; Interleukin-8; Lactoferrin; Legionnaires' Disease; Leukocyte Count; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal

Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. The inflammatory response to such infection is an important protective process and has been suggested to be less effective in elderly patients. To investigate the inflammatory response in respiratory infections acquired in the community by elderly people we studied 52 consecutive patients who met the criteria for either a non-pneumonic chest infection or pneumonia. After exclusion, 41 patients were available for evaluation, with 25 fulfilling the criteria of pneumonia and 16 the criteria of chest infection. Pyrexia was a feature of the patients with pneumonia. Circulating levels of neutrophil elastase-alpha-1-antitrypsin complex and C-reactive protein were greater in the patients with pneumonia than in those with a chest infection and were reduced following antibiotic treatment. No changes occurred in the chest infection group for these markers of inflammation. In both groups, a further neutrophil granule protein, lactoferrin, was unaffected by antibiotic treatment. This study indicates that elderly patients with pneumonia can initiate an appropriate inflammatory response as demonstrated by clinical indicators and circulating mediators of the inflammatory response.

Topics: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Biomarkers; C-Reactive Protein; Female; Humans; Lactoferrin; Leukocyte Elastase; Male; Pancreatic Elastase; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Respiratory Tract Infections