title: In addition to its antiviral and immunomodulatory properties, the zebrafish β-defensin 2 (zfBD2) is a potent viral DNA vaccine molecular adjuvant.
abstract: It is well known that β-defensins are key components of the host innate immune response against pathogens and potentially provide a link between innate and adaptive immunity. In zebrafish (Danio rerio), a vertebrate model species in numerous biomedical fields, three β-defensin isoforms were recently identified. To our knowledge, however, studies describing antimicrobial or immunomodulatory properties of any of the zebrafish β-defensins isoforms are absent today. Since it is indubitable that deepening the study of zebrafish β-defensins would be of interest in this work we investigated whether or not the zebrafish β-defensin 2 (zfBD2) has the antiviral properties described for their vertebrate counterparts. Our in vitro and in vivo studies showed that zfBD2 has antiviral activity, immunomodulatory properties and, most importantly, is a potent viral DNA vaccine molecular adjuvant. In addition, a potential relationship between zfBD2 activity and the NF-κB signaling pathway is suggested. Altogether these results show that the zebrafish could be a suitable in vivo animal model to study the roles played by β-defensin 2 in viral diseases, vaccinology and even in clinical dermatology. To note that psoriasis can be induced in zebrafish and the over-expression of β-defensin 2 is implicated in the inflammatory response associated with this human skin disorder.
authors.affiliation: IBMC, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: García-Valtanen
authors.affiliation: IBMC, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez-Lopez
authors.affiliation: IBMC, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortega-Villaizan
authors.affiliation: IBMC, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: INIA-SIGT-Biotecnología, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.affiliation: IBMC, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain. Electronic address: aestepa@umh.es.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estepa
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D023421:Models, Animal; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D015027:Zebrafish; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D023083:beta-Defensins
keywords: Adjuvant; Antiviral; DNA vaccine; Host-defense peptide (HDP); Immune response; Immunomodulatory; NF-κB; Rhabdovirus; Zebrafish; β-Defensin