title: Tissue- and age-dependent expression of the bovine DEFB103 gene and protein.
abstract: Beta-defensin 103 (DEFB103) shares little homology with 8 other members of the bovine beta-defensin family and in other species DEFB103 protein has diverse functions, including antimicrobial activity, a chemoattractant for dendritic cells, enhancing epithelial wound repair and regulating hair colour. Expression of the bovine DEFB103 gene was surveyed in 27 tissues and transcript was most abundant in tissues with stratified squamous epithelium. Oral cavity epithelial tissues and nictitating membrane consistently expressed high levels of DEFB103 gene transcript. An age-dependent decrease (P < 0.05) in DEFB103 gene expression was only observed for buccal epithelium when comparing healthy 10- to 14-day-old and 10- to 12-month-old calves. A bovine herpesvirus-1 respiratory infection did, however, significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulate DEFB103 gene expression in the buccal epithelium of 6- to 8-month-old calves. Finally, DEFB103 transcript was low in lymph nodes draining the skin and at the limit of detection in other internal organs such as lung, intestine and kidney. Affinity-purified rabbit antisera to bovine DEFB103 was used to identify cells expressing DEFB103 protein within tissues with stratified squamous epitheliums. DEFB103 protein was most abundant in basal epithelial cells and was present in these cells prior to birth. Beta-defensins have been identified as regulators of dendritic cell (DC) chemokine responses and we observed a close association between DCs and epithelial cells expressing DEFB103 in both the fetus and newborn calf. In conclusion, bovine DEFB103 gene expression is most abundant in stratified squamous epithelium with DEFB103 protein localised to basal epithelial cells. These observations are consistent with proposed roles for DEFB103 in DC recruitment and repair of stratified squamous epithelium.
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada. a.mirabzadeh@usask.ca.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Mirabzadeh-Ardakani
authors: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization/InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada.
authors: Jay
authors: J
authors: Solie
authors: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization/InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada.
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Gonzalez-Cano
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada.
authors: Sheila M
authors: SM
authors: Schmutz
authors: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization/InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada.|School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada.
authors: Philip J
authors: PJ
authors: Griebel
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D023083:beta-Defensins
keywords: Basal epithelial cells; Beta-defensin 103; Cattle; Dendritic cells; Stratified squamous epithelium