Defensins are small cysteine-rich peptides with antimicrobial activity. Plant defensins have a characteristic threedimensional folding pattern that is stabilized by eight disulfide-linked cysteines. This pattern is very similar to defense peptides of mammals and insects, suggesting an ancient and conserved origin. Functionally, these proteins exhibit a diverse array of biological activities, al...

Two non-cationic defensin-like antimicrobial peptides, named Amblyomma defensin peptide 1 and Amblyomma defensin peptide 2, were identified from the hard tick, Amblyomma hebraeum, by a combination of suppression subtractive hybridization for differentially expressed genes and proteomics. cDNA clones encoding each of these two defensin-like antimicrobial peptides were isolated from the different...

AIM To determine if beta defensins are expressed in the anterior segment of the eye and to determine the temporal pattern of expression using a real time semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). METHODS Ocular tissue (corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, iris, and lens capsule) was collected from 23 patients undergoing surgery. Serial corneal or conjunctival impr...

BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated that the administration of antibiotics to patients before performing diagnostic testing for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) can interfere with the accuracy of test results. Although a single-institution study has suggested that alpha-defensin maintains its concentration and sensitivity even after antibiotic treatment, this has not yet been demo...

Recent analysis of the bovine genome revealed an expanded suite of β-defensin genes that encode what are referred to as antimicrobial or host defense peptides (HDPs). Whereas primate genomes also encode α- and θ-defensins, the bovine genome contains only the β-defensin subfamily of HDPs. β-Defensins perform diverse functions that are critical to protection against pathogens but also in regulati...

BACKGROUND Alpha-defensins, which are major constituents of neutrophil azurophilic granules, and beta-defensins, which are expressed in airway epithelial cells, could contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by amplifying cigarette smoke-induced and infection-induced inflammatory reactions leading to lung injury. In Japanese and Chinese populations, two different ...

Defensins are a large family of positively-charged antimicrobial peptides that have been implicated innate immunity. Although known for their ability to directly kill bacteria, the mechanisms by which defensins regulate host-pathogen interactions remain elusive. Herein, we deleted entire Defensin gene cluster (3 million base pairs) in keratinocyte-intrinsic manner and observed enhanced suscepti...

We investigated the early innate immune responses induced in human intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) by the three defined Toxoplasma gondii genotype strains. Transcriptome analysis revealed that among differentially expressed genes, β-defensins distinguished the most IEC infected by fast- or slow-replicating T. gondii genotypes. Although β-defensin 1 and 3 genes were not expressed in host cells...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression and regulation of defensins in the peritoneal cavity of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. DESIGN The presence of defensins in the peritoneal cavity was assessed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In vivo defensin expression was analyzed in human peritoneal membrane biopsies and in peritoneal cavity leukocytes isolated from ...