Correlated expression of human beta defensin-1, -2 and -3 mRNAs in gingival tissues of young children.
OBJECTIVE
Human beta-defensins (hBDs) are a group of antimicrobial peptides, expressed by the epithelial cells of many organs including gingival epithelium. The present study examined correlation between the gene expressions of hBD-1, -2, -3 mRNAs and the inflammatory cytokines in human gingival tissues.


METHODS
The gingival tissues were obtained from surgical discards from 20 different patients (age range, 5-13 years). The expression levels of mRNAs were evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR with LightCycler. The mRNA expression levels were normalized with those of keratin 10 mRNA. The data were statistically analysed using Person's correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
The expression levels of hBD-1,-2 and -3 were significantly correlated with each other and also correlated with that of TNF-alpha.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that the expression levels of hBDs vary from one individual to another.
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Ishikari-Tobetsu, 061-0293 Japan.
Masato
M
Saitoh
Yoshihiro
Y
Abiko
Shintaro
S
Shimabukuro
Kaoru
K
Kusano
Michiko
M
Nishimura
Toshiya
T
Arakawa
Keisuke
K
Nakashima
Taishin
T
Takuma
Tohru
T
Kaku
Seiji
S
Igarashi
D000293:Adolescent; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; C422950:DEFB103A protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023083:beta-Defensins