Ferrichrome is a hydroxamate siderophore produced by various fungi, including U. sphaerogena, that facilitates iron chelation and uptake by these organisms. It can be utilized as a heterologous siderophore by bacteria, including P. aeruginosa and V. parahaemolyticus. Ferrichrome (0.8 μM) inhibits proliferation of murine spleen mononuclear cells induced by concanavalin A and reduces the number of concanavalin A-stimulated CD4+ T cells expressing the IL-2 receptor. It also inhibits heme-catalyzed oxidation of LDL by hydrogen peroxide in a concentration-dependent manner.
