Expression of the peptide antibiotic human beta-defensin 1 in cultured gingival epithelial cells and gingival tissue.

ABSTRACT: Human beta-defensin-1 (hBD-1) is a member of the family of small cationic antimicrobial peptides that have been identified in several mucosal epithelia. Because human gingival epithelium is a site that is constantly challenged by oral microorganisms, we examined the expression of hBD-1 in human gingival epithelial and fibroblast cell cultures and tissue samples. Cell cultures were challenged with cell wall extracts of Porphyromonas gingivalis or Fusobacterium nucleatum, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, tumor necrosis factor alpha, or phorbol myristate acetate. hBD-1 mRNA was detected in unstimulated and stimulated cultures by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using several primer sets specific for hBD-1. Gingival epithelial cells, but not gingival fibroblasts, expressed a product of the p

SUBMITTER: Krisanaprakornkit S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC108509 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature