HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ishimoto, H. Articles by Nakazato, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ishimoto, H. Articles by Nakazato, M.

Identification of hBD-3 in respiratory tract and serum: the increase in pneumonia

¹ Second Dept of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, ² Third Dept of Internal Medicine, Miyazaki Medical College, University of Miyazaki, ³ National Sanatorium Miyazakihigashi Hospital, Miyazaki, and ⁴ Peptide Institute, Inc., Osaka, Japan.

CORRESPONDENCE: M. Nakazato, Third Dept of Internal Medicine, Miyazaki Medical College, University of Miyazaki, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan. Fax: 81 985857902. E-mail: nakazato{at}med.miyazaki-u.ac.jp

Keywords: Defensin, immunohistochemistry, pneumonia, radioimmunoassay, respiratory tract

Received: September 10, 2004
Accepted October 3, 2005

Human ß-defensin (hBD)-3, a 45 amino acid antimicrobial peptide, was originally isolated from human skin. hBD-3 mRNA has also been detected in the airways by RT-PCR. While hBD-3 may be involved in antimicrobial defences within the respiratory tract, the presence of hBD-3 peptide in the respiratory system has not yet been confirmed.

The antimicrobial activity of the synthesised hBD-3 peptide was measured by a radial diffusion assay and a colony count assay. The present authors confirmed the presence of hBD-3 peptide in homogenates of human lung and serum using reverse-phase HPLC coupled with a highly sensitive RIA. The localisation of the hBD-3 peptide was investigated by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the serum concentrations of hBD-3 were measured by RIA.

hBD-3 exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity, which was unaffected by increasing salt concentrations. Immunohistochemically, the current authors observed the expression of hBD-3 in bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells. The mean±SD serum concentration of hBD-3 in patients with bacterial pneumonia was 239.4±17.8 pg·mL^–1 in the acute phase and, decreased to 159.3±20.1 pg·mL^–1 after the completion of therapy.

In conclusion, these findings will help elucidate the role of human ß-defensin-3 in host immune responses and identify the pathophysiological significance of this molecule in respiratory infections.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Rohrl, D. Yang, J. J. Oppenheim, and T. Hehlgans Identification and Biological Characterization of Mouse {beta}-Defensin 14, the Orthologue of Human {beta}-Defensin 3 J. Biol. Chem., February 29, 2008; 283(9): 5414 - 5419. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Jenssen, P. Hamill, and R. E. W. Hancock Peptide Antimicrobial Agents Clin. Microbiol. Rev., July 1, 2006; 19(3): 491 - 511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]