title: Effect of human cationic antimicrobial protein 18 Peptide on endotoxin-induced uveitis in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human cationic antimicrobial protein 18 (hCAP18, 18 kDa) was originally identified in leukocytes on the basis of its antimicrobial activity. The peptide composed of the 27 C-terminal amino acids of hCAP18 (hCAP18(109-135)) binds lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of hCAP18 peptide on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  EIU was induced by footpad injection of LPS. Each rat was injected intravenously with 1, 10, or 100 micro g hCAP18 peptide in 0.1 mL of PBS immediately after LPS injection in male Lewis rats. At 24 hours after LPS injection, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to evaluate concentrations of protein, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, prostaglandin (PG)-E2, interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 in aqueous humor. Also, EIU was evaluated by counting inflammatory cells in aqueous humor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hCAP18 peptide at 10 and 100 micro g significantly suppressed an LPS-induced increase in the number of inflammatory cells and the levels of protein, NO, TNF-alpha, PGE2, MCP-1, and MIP-2. The anti-inflammatory effect of 10 micro g hCAP18 peptide was as strong as that of 100 micro g hCAP18 peptide. Treatment with 1 micro g hCAP18 peptide did not suppress EIU, compared with the LPS group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results indicate that hCAP18 peptide suppresses development of EIU. A possible mechanism for the ocular anti-inflammatory effect of hCAP18 peptide is that it suppresses onset of LPS-triggered inflammatory reactions by binding directly to LPS.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D054804:Cathelicidins; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D015846:Monokines / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054804:Cathelicidins; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D015846:Monokines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015232:Dinoprostone