lactoferrin and Uterine-Cervicitis

Preterm delivery (PTD) occurs before the 37th week of gestation. Iron deficiency anemia and inflammatory processes either related to infection or sterile inflammatory response represent risk factors for PTD. Bovine lactoferrin (bLf), an emerging important regulator of iron and inflammatory homeostasis, can represent a new therapeutic approach for PTD treatment. Here an open-label cohort and subcohort study is reported. The cohort was designed to assess the effect of bLf oral administration on iron and inflammatory homeostasis in anemic pregnant women. The subcohort including women of the cohort with PTD threat was additionally treated with bLf intravaginal administration. A significant improvement of hematological parameters was observed in the women's cohort together with a consistent decrease of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Combined administration of oral and intravaginal bLf to the women's subcohort with PTD threat decreased IL-6 in both serum and cervicovaginal fluids, cervicovaginal prostaglandin F(2α), and suppressed uterine contractility. BLf administration blocked further shortening of cervical length and the increase of fetal fibronectin thus prolonging the length of pregnancy. The deliveries occurred between the 37th and 38th week of gestation. These results provide strong evidence for a role of bLf in PTD treatment, thus extending the therapeutic potential of this multifunctional natural protein.

Topics: Administration, Intravaginal; Administration, Oral; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Animals; Cattle; Cervix Uteri; Dinoprost; Female; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Interleukin-6; Lactoferrin; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Premature Birth; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Uterine Cervicitis

To evaluate concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, lactoferrin (LF), and alpha defencine (alpha-DF) in the cervical mucus of pregnant women and analyze their relation to cervicitis and bacterial vaginosis (BV).. Cervical mucus samples were obtained from August 2003 through May 2004 from 157 women who were between the 6th and 36th week of an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy. All women were delivered at term, 69 without BV or cervicitis, 9 with BV, and 79 with cervicitis.. Interleukin 8, LF, and mu-DF concentrations were higher in women with cervicitis (0.81 +/- 0.36 pg/mL, 14.8+/-12.3 microg/mL, and 0.60 +/- 0.49 microg/mL) than in women without BV or cervicitis (0.35 +/- 0.34 pg/mL, 8.0 +/- 11.0 microg/mL, and 0.15 +/- 0.12 microg/mL). Interleukin 6 concentration was higher in women with BV (0.26 +/- 0.32 pg/mL) than in women without BV or cervicitis (0.09 +/- 0.15 pg/mL) or in women with cervicitis (0.12 +/- 0.18 pg/mL).. Higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in the cervical mucus of pregnant women may lead to early detection of lower genital tract infection.

Topics: Adult; alpha-Defensins; Biomarkers; Cervix Mucus; Cytokines; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Gestational Age; Humans; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-8; Lactoferrin; Pancreatic Elastase; Predictive Value of Tests; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Regression Analysis; Uterine Cervicitis; Vaginosis, Bacterial

Neisseria gonorrhoeae expresses receptors for both lactoferrin (LF) and transferrin (TF). To determine whether qualitative or quantitative changes in these receptors, or both, correlate with the pattern of disease due to N. gonorrhoeae, a dot binding assay with whole cells was used to measure the absolute receptor levels expressed during iron-limited growth of strains isolated from asymptomatic patients and patients with urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and disseminated infection. Lactoferrin and transferrin receptor complexes were purified by affinity chromatography and their protein profiles were compared. The molecular weights of the LF and TF receptor complexes from a representative sample of gonococci were homogeneous. We conclude that there is no relationship between the LF and TF receptor levels and disease manifestation, auxotype or serotype.

Topics: Carrier State; Cell Membrane; Chromatography, Affinity; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Female; Gonorrhea; Humans; Lactoferrin; Male; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, Transferrin; Urethritis; Uterine Cervicitis