title: Selective induction of human beta-defensin mRNAs by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in primary and immortalized oral epithelial cells.
abstract: Human beta-defensin-2, and -3 (hBD-2, -3) are small inducible antimicrobial peptides involved in host defense. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, a gram-negative facultative anaerobe, is frequently associated with oral disease in humans. A. actinomycetemcomitans, strain JP2, was examined for its ability to modulate hBD-2 and -3 gene expression in normal human oral epithelial cells (NHOECs) and in OKF6/Tert cells, an immortalized cell line derived from human oral epithelial cells. Stimulation of both cell types by live bacteria, at a minimal bacteria/cell ratio of 500 : 1, resulted in increased hBD-3 gene expression. This was not evinced for hBD-2 in either cell type with live bacteria, even at bacteria/cell ratios exceeding 500 : 1. The increased hBD-3 gene expression was dependent upon viable bacteria, and not their lipopolysaccharides (LPS), since heat-killed A. actinomycetemcomitans did not induce hBD-3 transcript expression. The overall similarity between results obtained in OKF6/Tert cells and NHOECs suggest that the OKF6/Tert cell line may be a useful tool in the study of beta-defensin expression in oral epithelium.
authors: University Hospital of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors: E C
authors: EC
authors: Feucht
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: DeSanti
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Weinberg
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000235:genetics*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; C422950:DEFB103A protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023083:beta-Defensins