Lactoferrin content of peripheral blood cells.

The peripheral blood of 60 normal adults was separated into plasma, red cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and platelets. Lactoferrin concentrations were measured in the plasma and cell extracts and compared to those of lysozyme. The neutrophil lactoferrin content in males and post-menopausal females was found to be significantly higher than in pre-menopausal females. A small amount of lactoferrin was found in association with monocytes, but not with lymphocytes, erythrocytes and platelets. Neutrophil lysozyme concentrations did not exhibit any variation with sex and age; but the level in monocytes was higher than that in neutrophils. No correlation was observed between individual neutrophil lactoferrin values and the plasma level. Immunofluorescent studies showed neutrophils to have a lobulated pattern suggestive of nuclear staining. Monocytes did not show direct staining, but exhibited a peripheral pattern after prior exposure to lactoferrin--confirming the existence of a surface receptor. Gel chromatography indicated that neutrophil lactoferrin is in a polymerized or complexed form which elutes with the void volume on Sephadex G-200; serum lactoferrin consists of two forms, one of which also elutes with the void volume on Sephadex G-200.