Effects of iron-unsaturated human lactoferrin on hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage in intestinal epithelial cells.

Human milk (HM) contains various bioactive antioxidants. Lactoferrin (Lf) has been assumed to be one of the major antioxidants in HM. We examined the antioxidative properties of iron-unsaturated human Lf (apo-hLf, the major form of Lf in HM) in two intestinal epithelial cell lines: (1) An intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6) were preincubated for 24 h with either 50 microg/mL of apo-hLf, iron-saturated human Lf (holo-hLf), iron-unsaturated bovine transferrin (apo-bTf), or 800 ng/mL of the iron-chelating compound deferoxamine (DFX), followed by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) challenge to induce oxidative stress. Survival rates were significantly higher in the cells preincubated with apo-hLf and DFX than those preincubated with holo-hLf. (2) Caco-2 cells were preincubated with or without apo-hLf for 24 h, followed by an H2O2 challenge. Intracellular oxidative stress was assessed by a fluorescent probe, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA). Fluorescent intensity of cell images and cell homogenates was significantly lower in the cells preincubated with apo-hLF than those preincubated without apo-hLF. Our study indicates that apo-hLf alleviates H2O2-induced oxidative damage in intestinal cells due to the iron-chelating capacity. Therefore, Lf in HM may act as an antioxidant in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

Diagnostic and predictive value of CSF d-ROM level in influenza virus-associated encephalopathy.

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of serum and CSF oxidative status of patients with IE in their initial stage through the d-ROM (Diacron-Reactive Oxygen Metabolites, Italy) test, compared to those with other neurological diseases. The study was conducted on the following four groups: (1) influenza virus-associated encephalopathy (IE, n = 8), including four patients showing neurological sequelae or mortal; (2) influenza virus-associated febrile seizures (IFS, n = 11); (3) febrile convulsion (FC, n = 10): (4) enterovirus-associated encephalopathy (EE, n = 4), including one patient with neurological sequelae. The CSF d-ROM levels in the IE group were significantly higher than those in the IFS and the FC groups but not in the EE group. In addition, general laboratory findings such as leukocytes, platelets, C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, creatinine kinase and LDH, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), were analyzed in each group. The CSF d-ROM levels in the IE group were significantly higher than those in the IFS and FC groups but not in the EE group. As for the serum d-ROM levels and general laboratory findings, with the exception of CSF IL-6 levels in IE, no significant differences were detected compared with the other groups. In patients with IE, the CSF d-ROM levels could be a valid predictive biomarker of the severity, and oxidative stress may be related to the pathogenesis of IE.