title: Innate immune peptide LL-37 displays distinct expression pattern from beta-defensins in inflamed gingival tissue.
abstract: Anti-microbial peptides produced from mucosal epithelium appear to play pivotal roles in the host innate immune defence system in the oral cavity. In particular, human beta-defensins (hBDs) and the cathelicidin-type anti-microbial peptide, LL-37, were reported to kill periodontal disease-associated bacteria. In contrast to well-studied hBDs, little is known about the expression profiles of LL-37 in gingival tissue. In this study, the anti-microbial peptides expressed in gingival tissue were analysed using immunohistochemistry and enxyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemistry revealed that neutrophils expressed only LL-37, but not hBD-2 or hBD-3, and that such expression was prominent in the inflammatory lesions when compared to healthy gingivae which showed very few or no LL-37 expressing neutrophils. Gingival epithelial cells (GEC), however, expressed all three examined anti-microbial peptides, irrespective of the presence or absence of inflammation. Moreover, as determined by ELISA, the concentration of LL-37 in the gingival tissue homogenates determined was correlated positively with the depth of the gingival crevice. Stimulation with periodontal bacteria in vitro induced both hBD-2 and LL-37 expressions by GEC, whereas peripheral blood neutrophils produced only LL-37 production, but not hBD-2, in response to the bacterial stimulation. These findings suggest that LL-37 displays distinct expression patterns from those of hBDs in gingival tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, The Forsyth Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komatsuzawa
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karimbux
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Napimoga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ouhara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Taubman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054804:Cathelicidins
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C422950:DEFB103A protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023083:beta-Defensins; D054804:Cathelicidins