Effects of bovine lactoferrin to oral Candida albicans and Candida glabrata isolates recovered from the saliva in elderly people

The effects of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) on the growth of Candida species and on inflammatory cytokine production in gingival keratinocytes, NDUSD-1 co-cultured with Candida strains were investigated. The results showed that bLF at 10 and 100 μg/mL significantly inhibits the growth of two C. albicans strains and two C. glabrata strains isolated from the saliva of elderly people requiring nursing care, respectively. The levels of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 in NDUSD-1 co-cultured with each of these four Candida strains were measured. C. albicans tend to have a more potent capacity than C. glabrata to induce the production of the inflammatory cytokines in NDUSD-1. The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in NDUSD-1 co-cultured with each of Candida species were measured after addition of bLF. bLF at concentrations from 1 to 100 μg/mL significantly inhibited the production of these cytokines in NDUSD-1 co-cultured with Candida species. These findings suggest that bLF may be useful in reducing the risk of aspiration pneumonia among elderly people requiring care for whom oral care is difficult.