Distribution of lactoferrin in the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis

Abstract

We used an immunofluorescence method to study the distribution of lactoferrin in the colonic mucosa in eight ulcerative colitis patients. Peroxidase staining was also examined simultaneously, and the distribution of peroxidase positive cells was compared with that of lactoferrin positive cells.Both lactoferrin positive cells and peroxidase positive cells were barely found in the endoscopically uninvolved mucosa and abundantly in the endoscopically involved mucosa, whereas they were moderately observed in the boundary zone which was considered as locating between the involved and the uninvolved portion. On the other hand, in four normal colons these cells were rarely found. It was also intensely indicated that peroxidase positive cells were to be neutrophils by using Giemsa staining.Lactoferrin is a strong iron-binding glycoprotein that has been detected in secretions that bathe human mucosal tissues, in vitro studies has been showed that it has both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. Meanwhile, our previous studies have demonstrated that s-IgA system decreases in distribution in the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis. Accordingly, these results suggest that lactoferrin appears and/or increases in compensation for s-IgA system in the colonic mucosa in ulcerative clitis, and it has a significant role in the mucosal defense for bacterial infection.