title: [The human beta-defensins expression in female genital tract and pregnancy-related tissues].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Infection and Immunity, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Boyao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D023083:beta-Defensins