[Study of beta-defensin-2 gene expression in the pulmonary tissue of the older rat stimulated by pneumococcal vaccine polyvalent].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of pneumococcal vaccine polyvalent (pneumovax23) on defensin-2 gene expression in older rats.


METHODS
Twenty older male Wistar rats (18-22 months) weighing (600 +/- 50) g were randomly allocated into two groups. The rats of experimental group were intraperitoneally injected with pneumovax23 0.2 ml/kg; the rats of control group were intraperitoneally injected with equivalent normal saline. Semiquantitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to detect beta-defensin-2 mRNA expression; beta-actin was used as the internal standard.


RESULTS
The expression of beta-defensin-2 gene increased in the experimental group, as compared with that in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Pneumovax23 can upregulate the expression of rBD-2 gene in the lung tissue and enhance the body local immunity. These experimental data indicate that Pneumovax23 can be used to enhance beta-defensin-2 and hence protect the old rats from pneumococci.
Chang
Xin-Xia
XX
Department of Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Dong
Bi-Rong
BR
Shen
Kun
K
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000517:prevention & control; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023083:beta-Defensins