title: Antimicrobial peptides are present in immune and host defense cells of the human respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.
abstract: Previous studies have implicated antimicrobial peptides in the host defense of the mammalian intestinal and respiratory tract. The aim of the present study has been to characterize further the expression of these molecules in non-epithelial cells of the human pulmonary and digestive systems by detailed immunohistochemical analysis of the small and large bowel and of the large airways and lung parenchyma. Additionally, cells obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage were analyzed by fluorescent activated cell sorting and immunostaining of cytospin preparations. hBD-1, hBD-2, and LL-37 were detected in lymphocytes and macrophages in the large airways, lung parenchyma, duodenum, and colon. Lymphocytes positive for the peptides revealed a staining pattern and distribution that largely matched that of CD3-positive and CD8-positive T-cells. Macrophages with positive staining for the antimicrobial peptides also stained positively for CD68 and CD74. In view of the morphology of the LL-37-positive and hBD-2-positive mucosal lymphocytes, they are probably also B-cells. Thus, antimicrobial peptides of the defensin and cathelicidin families are present in a variety of non-epithelial cells of mucosal organs. These findings confirm that antimicrobial peptides have multiple functions in the biology of the mucosa of these organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Chair II, Ludwig Maximilian University, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wah
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wellek
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frankenberger
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Unterberger
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Welsch
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bals
mesh_terms: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004386:Duodenum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054804:Cathelicidins
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054804:Cathelicidins