Antileukoprotease in human skin: an antibiotic peptide constitutively produced by keratinocytes.
Antileukoprotease (ALP), also known as mucous protease inhibitor or secretory leukoprotease inhibitor, resembles one of the major antiproteases present in human body fluids. It is capable of preventing proteolytic degradation of extracellular matrix proteins by neutrophil-derived serine proteases. ALP was isolated from human callus and detected in supernatants of cultured human primary keratinocytes. ALP mRNA was constitutively expressed in keratinocytes and the expression was not significantly affected by TNF alpha or Interferon gamma stimulation. In microbicidal assays recombinant ALP exhibited antimicrobial activity against several human skin associated microorganisms like P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and C. albicans, indicating that ALP may actively participate in mechanisms allowing homeostasis of bacterial and yeast colonization on human skin. Thus, ALP represents a major soluble serine protease inhibitor and antimicrobial agent expressed in human skin and seems to contribute to the high resistance of the epidermis against proteolysis and infections.
Wiedow
O
O
Department of Dermatology, University of Kiel, Germany.
Harder
J
J
Bartels
J
J
Streit
V
V
Christophers
E
E
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007624:KB Cells; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma