[The human beta-defensins expression in female genital tract and pregnancy-related tissues].
OBJECTIVE
Human beta-defensins (HBDs) are small, cationic endogenous antimicrobial peptides isolated from the hemodialates of patients with chronic renal failure (HBD-1) and Psoriasic skin (HBD-2). They may play an important role in mucosal innate host defense against infections. In this study, we examined their mRNAs expression in normal and pregnant women genital tract.


METHODS
Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed in the detection of HBD-1 and HBD-2 mRNA expression in the samples from normal and pregnant women genital tract. beta-actin was taken as positive control.


RESULTS
RT-PCR detection revealed that HBD-1 mRNA expressed in all samples of normal women taken from vagina, cervix, endometrium, fallopian tube, and ovary, and HBD-2 mRNA widely expressed in genital tract except vagina and ovary. In pregnant women, HBD-1 mRNA widely expressed in chorion, villus, placenta, and umbilical cord, but not in amnion, and HBD-2 mRNA were detected in chorion, villus and placenta tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study on the wide expression of HBD-1 and HBD-2 in both the normal and the pregnant women genital tract suggest that HBDs may play an important role in human genital tract defense mechanisms.
Feng
Yan
Y
Research Unit of Infection and Immunity, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Pan
Xiaoling
X
Huang
Ning
N
Feng
Yun
Y
Wu
Qi
Q
Wang
Boyao
B
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism; D002823:Chorion / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism*; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D023083:beta-Defensins