[Effect of human beta defensin 2 on Staphylococcus aureus infection: in vivo study with transgenic mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of human beta defensin 2 (HBD-2) on Staphylococcus aureus infection.


METHODS
A minigene of HBD-2 containing pCMV promoter, full length of HBD-2 cDNA, and BGH polyA tail was generated by PCR amplification and introduced into the fertilized oocytes of C57/ICR hybridized mouse by microinjection. After gestation of 3 - 4 weeks, immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of HBD-2 peptide in different tissues of the transgenic young mice. Staphylococcus aureus was cultured and injected intraperitoneally to wild type mice and transgenic mice to observe their surviving status.


RESULTS
PCR showed that the HBD-2 fragment had been successfully integrated into the chromosome of the mice. A widespread expression of HBD-2 gene was found in many tissues of the transgenic mice: trachea, lung, intestine, esophagus, testis, spleen, skin, endothelium, brain, etc. Four of the 7 transgenic mice survived the Staphylococcus aureus infection, and 10 wild type mice all died within 24 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
HBD-2 may play an important role ion the host defense against Staphylococcus aureus infection.
Zhang
Shu
S
Research Unit of Infection and Immunology, West China School of Preclinical Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Huang
Ning
N
Zhao
Xin-yu
XY
Wang
Qing-song
QS
Yang
Yang
Y
Cheng
Yong
Y
Ju
Hui-ming
HM
Xiong
Wen-bi
WB
Ou
Zhen-rong
ZR
Wu
Qi
Q
Wang
Bo-yao
BY
D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D023083:beta-Defensins