title: Antimicrobial human beta-defensin-2 stimulates migration, proliferation and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
abstract: Human beta-defensin-2 (hBD-2) is an antimicrobial peptide which is released upon microbial invasion and contributes to mucosal and epithelial defense modulating both innate and adaptive immunity. We found that hBD-2 stimulates chemotaxis of human endothelial cells with an extent similar to that exerted by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The hBD-2-dependent chemotaxis is dose-dependent, maximal effect being reached at 500 ng/ml concentration. In the absence of any growth factor, hBD-2 favors wound healing of endothelial cells, causing an about 2-fold increase in the speed of wound closure with respect to the control. Furthermore, hBD-2 promotes endothelial cell proliferation, although at a minor extent as compared to VEGF. When plated on matrigel enriched with angiogenic factors, endothelial cells form a three-dimensional network of tubes that gives rise to capillary-like structures. Similarly to VEGF, hBD-2 promotes capillary-like tube formation of human endothelial cells. Pro-angiogenic effect promoted by hBD-2 is dose-dependent, peaks at a 500 ng/ml hBD-2 concentration and is prevented by blocking anti-alphavbeta3 monoclonal antibody. However, hBD-2-induced pro-angiogenic activity is not due to endogenously produced VEGF because it is not prevented by neutralizing anti-VEGF antibodies. Overall, our findings suggest that hBD-2 could link inflammation and the host defense through its pro-angiogenic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Via Pansini, 5, 80138 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Adone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donnarumma
authors.forename: Iole
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.forename: Immacolata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Longanesi-Cattani
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bifulco
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tufano
authors.forename: Maria Vincenza
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Carriero
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D023083:beta-Defensins