Open AccessApotransferrin administration prevents growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis in serum of stem cell transplant patients by binding of free iron
Author(s) -
Bonsdorff Leni,
Sahlstedt Leila,
Ebeling Freja,
Ruutu Tapani,
Parkkinen Jaakko
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/s0928-8244(03)00109-3
Subject(s) - staphylococcus epidermidis , transferrin , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , bacterial growth , stem cell , immunology , staphylococcus aureus , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics
We investigated the effect of free, non‐transferrin‐bound iron occurring in haematological stem cell transplant patients on growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis in serum in vitro, and prevention of bacterial growth by exogenous apotransferrin. S. epidermidis did not grow in normal serum at inoculated bacterial densities up to 10 3 cfu ml −1 but slow growth could be detected at higher initial inocula. Addition of free iron abolished the growth‐inhibitory effect of serum, whereas addition of apotransferrin again restored it. Appearance of free iron and loss of growth inhibition coincided in patient serum samples taken daily during myeloablative therapy. Intravenously administered apotransferrin effectively bound free iron and restored the growth inhibition in patient sera. The results suggest that exogenous apotransferrin might protect stem cell transplant patients against infections by S. epidermidis and possibly other opportunistic pathogens.