Bovine lactoferrin inhibits Influenza A virus induced programmed cell death in vitro

• Published in: Biometals Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 465 - 475
• Main Authors: Pietrantoni, Agostina, Dofrelli, Eleonora, Tinari, Antonella, Ammendolia, Maria Grazia, Puzelli, Simona, Fabiani, Concetta, Donatelli, Isabella, Superti, Fabiana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.06.2010; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Assembly; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blocking; Bovine lactoferrin; Cattle; Cell Biology; Cell death; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epidemiology; Exports; Glycoproteins; In vitro testing; Influenza; Influenza A virus; Influenza A virus - drug effects; Influenza A virus - growth & development; Influenza A virus - pathogenicity; Influenza virus; Lactoferrin - pharmacology; Life Sciences; MDCK cells; Medical research; Medicine/Public Health; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiology; Pandemics; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Plant Physiology; Strategy; Structure-Activity Relationship; Bovine lactoferrin; MDCK cells; Influenza virus; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0966-0844; 1572-8773
• DOI: 10.1007/s10534-010-9323-3

Influenza is one of the main plagues worldwide. The statistical likelihood of a new pandemic outbreak, together with the alarming emergence of influenza virus strains that are resistant to available antiviral medications, highlights the need for new antiviral drugs. Lactoferrin, a 80 kDa bi-globular iron-binding glycoprotein, is a pleiotropic factor with potent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Although the antiviral effect of lactoferrin is one of its major biological functions, the mechanism of action is still under debate. In this research, we have analyzed the effect of bovine lactoferrin (bLf) on Influenza A virus infection in vitro. Our results showed that (i) Influenza virus infected cells died as a result of apoptosis, (ii) bLf treatment inhibited programmed cell death by interfering with function of caspase 3, a major virus-induced apoptosis effector, and (iii) bLf efficiently blocked nuclear export of viral ribonucleoproteins so preventing viral assembly. These results provide further insights on the antiviral activity of bLf and suggest novel strategies for treatment of Influenza virus infection.