Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Thrombosis research, cilt.98, sa.1, ss.111-4, 2000 (SCI-Expanded)
Lactoferrin (Lf), which shares a great deal of homology with transferrin, is an iron-binding protein with a molecular weight of 80 kDa [1,2]. The main source of plasma lactoferrin is neutrophils, in which it is stored in specific granules [3], Plasma lactoferrin is a reliable parameter reflecting total neutrophilic pool [4,5]. Lactoferrin plays a role in the defense against bacteria and regulation of the hematopoiesis and etiopathogenesis of anemia during the course of some diseases [6-9]. Since lactoferrin is an effective inhibitor of heparin-dependent anticoagulant activity, it is claimed that lactoferrin may play a role in the pathogenesis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and thrombotic complications occurring during the course of inflammatory diseases [9], DIC is a clinical entity characterized by uncontrolled thrombin generation in systemic circulation and by disseminated fibrin deposition in microcirculation and bleeding diathesis, Complexity of the pathogenesis of DIC prevents the standardization of the treatment [10,11], Therefore, a better under standing of the role of factors affecting the pathogenesis may enable the individualization of the treatment. In the present study, plasma lactoferrin levels and neutrophil activation were assessed in patients with DIC, and the results were compared with those of the healthy volunteers and those of the patients with leukomoid reaction (LR) as well as in patients with febrile neutropenia (FN).