title: Ocular surface expression and in vitro activity of antimicrobial peptides.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human ocular surface epithelia express four antimicrobial peptides (APs): beta -defensin (hBD) 1-3 and LL-37. Here the expression of additional APs (hBD 4-6, HE2beta 1; histatin-1, -3; liver expressed antimicrobial peptide-1, -2; macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3alpha, and thymosin (T)beta -4) was sought and activity against common ocular pathogens studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  AP expression was determined in human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells (HCEC, HCjEC) by RT-PCR and in corneal sections by immunostaining. Antimicrobial assays were performed to assess peptide (hBD 1-3, LL-37, MIP-3alpha, and Tbeta 4) activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), Staphylococcus aureus (SA), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) in the presence of NaCl or tears.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCEC and HCjEC expressed MIP-3alpha and Tbeta 4. hBD 1-3, MIP-3alpha, and Tbeta 4 showed activity against PA. hBD-3 had potent activity against SA and SE, whereas hBD-2, MIP-3alpha and Tbeta 4 had moderate activity and hBD-1 had none. NaCl markedly attenuated, and tears almost completely inhibited the activity of hBD 1-2 and Tbeta 4, but not that of hBD-3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ocular surface epithelia additionally express MIP-3alpha and Tbeta 4 which have moderate antimicrobial activity. The current data support a role for hBD-3 as an antimicrobial peptide in vivo, but call in to question the effectiveness of some other APs. However, further study is required to conclusively elucidate the physiological role of each AP.
authors.affiliation: College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-2020, USA.
authors.forename: Ling C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jean
authors.forename: Rita J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Proske
authors.forename: Rose Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Reins
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McDermott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology; D013947:Thymosin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
chemical_list: D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013947:Thymosin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023083:beta-Defensins; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4); C108355:CCL20 protein, human