Expression of human beta defensin (HBD-1 and HBD-2) mRNA in nasal epithelia of adult cystic fibrosis patients, healthy individuals, and individuals with acute cold.
BACKGROUND
Lack or inactivation of defensins may facilitate chronic bacterial colonization in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. CF nasal epithelium exhibits typical biochemical abnormalities and can be used to study defensin expression in CF.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expression of beta defensin (HBD-1 and HBD-2) mRNA and the presence of inflammatory markers (percentage of neutrophils and IL-8 mRNA expression) in CF and non-CF nasal mucosa.


METHODS
Case-control study. Nasal brushing samples were obtained from 22 stable adult CF patients and 32 non-CF controls (25 healthy individuals and 7 individuals with acute cold). Samples were subjected to analysis involving mRNA expression (semiquantitative RT-PCR) and differential cell counting.


RESULTS
Defensins and inflammatory markers were expressed at low levels in healthy individuals and at high levels in subjects with acute cold. In non-CF controls, defensin expression correlated significantly with inflammatory parameters (p < 0.001). In CF, defensin mRNA expression was comparable to healthy individuals (p = 0.2). In contrast to non-CF controls, in CF patients high levels of inflammatory markers did not correlate with defensin mRNA levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Defensin expression is not upregulated in CF epithelium in response to inflammatory stimuli. Further studies are necessary to elucidate whether this is a consequence of the CF gene mutation.
Dauletbaev
Nurlan
N
Pulmonary Medicine, Second Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Gropp
Roswitha
R
Frye
Michaela
M
Loitsch
Stefan
S
Wagner
Thomas-Otto-Friedrich
TO
Bargon
Joachim
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003139:Common Cold / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D011336:Probability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D015415:Biomarkers; C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023083:beta-Defensins