Expression of cathelicidin in recurrent throat infection.
BACKGROUND
Epithelial cells can be called the first line of a defense barrier to microorganisms by the innate immune system. The antimicrobial peptides are the major participants of this system. Cathelicidins are a family of peptides thought to provide an innate defensive barrier against a variety of potential microbial pathogens.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expression of the cathelicidin in recurrent throat infection.


METHODS
Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical staining were performed for 10 palatine tonsil tissues with hypertrophy and 10 palatine tonsil tissues with recurrent throat infection.


RESULTS
Cathelicidin mRNA transcripts were detected in recurrent throat infection. The expression levels of cathelicidin mRNA in recurrent throat infection was significantly higher compared with those in hypertrophic tonsils. Cathelicidin protein was localized on the tonsillar surface epithelium and inflammatory cells in the tonsillar crypt of recurrent throat infection patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that cathelicidin is one of antimicrobial peptides in the human palatine tonsils, and that cathelicidin may also play an important role in innate host defense of human tonsils.
Song
Jae-Jun
JJ
Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Disorder, Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Guro-gu, 152-703 Seoul, South Korea.
Hwang
Kyu Sung
KS
Woo
Jeong Soo
JS
Chae
Sung Won
SW
Cho
Jae Gu
JG
Kang
Hee Joon
HJ
Hwang
Soon Jae
SJ
Lee
Heung-Man
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012008:Recurrence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054804:Cathelicidins
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054804:Cathelicidins