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Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and its pro-form, hCAP18, in desquamated epithelial cells of human whole saliva

Aidoukovitch, Alexandra LU ; Dahl, Sara LU orcid ; Fält, Felicia ; Nebel, Daniel LU ; Svensson, Daniel LU ; Tufvesson, Ellen LU and Nilsson, Bengt-Olof LU orcid (2020) In European Journal of Oral Sciences 128(1). p.1-6
Abstract

The antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is active against oral bacteria and has been demonstrated to be present in human saliva, but its distribution in different fractions of saliva is not known. LL-37 is formed from its intracellular pro-form, hCAP18, in an extracellular enzymatic reaction catalyzed by proteinase 3 and kallikrein 5. Here, we prepared cell-containing and cell-free fractions of unstimulated human whole saliva by centrifugation after depolymerization of mucins with dithiothreitol, and measured the levels of hCAP18/LL-37 in these fractions using ELISA. Cellular expression of hCAP18/LL-37 was determined by western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The ELISA analyses demonstrated that both cells and cell-free saliva contained... (More)

The antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is active against oral bacteria and has been demonstrated to be present in human saliva, but its distribution in different fractions of saliva is not known. LL-37 is formed from its intracellular pro-form, hCAP18, in an extracellular enzymatic reaction catalyzed by proteinase 3 and kallikrein 5. Here, we prepared cell-containing and cell-free fractions of unstimulated human whole saliva by centrifugation after depolymerization of mucins with dithiothreitol, and measured the levels of hCAP18/LL-37 in these fractions using ELISA. Cellular expression of hCAP18/LL-37 was determined by western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The ELISA analyses demonstrated that both cells and cell-free saliva contained hCAP18/LL-37. Western blot analysis of cell-pellet homogenates showed a strong band corresponding to hCAP18 at the correct molecular weight and a weak band corresponding to LL-37. Phase-contrast and light microscopy revealed that the cells consisted of desquamated epithelial cells. These cells expressed cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for hCAP18/LL-37. The peripheral part of the cytoplasm, corresponding to the plasma membrane, was particularly rich in hCAP18/LL-37 immunoreactivity. No immunoreactivity was observed after omission of the primary antibody. We conclude that desquamated epithelial cells of human whole saliva contain antimicrobial hCAP18/LL-37, suggesting that these cells may take part in the innate immune system by harboring and releasing these peptides.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of Oral Sciences
volume
128
issue
1
pages
6 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85076338607
  • pmid:31825534
ISSN
0909-8836
DOI
10.1111/eos.12664
project
Production and transport of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and other peptides in saliva: physiological and pathophysiological importance
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2019 Eur J Oral Sci.
id
10c49954-09d9-4320-9c4b-9b634f78d058
date added to LUP
2020-02-04 16:22:52
date last changed
2024-04-03 01:09:45
@article{10c49954-09d9-4320-9c4b-9b634f78d058,
  abstract     = {{<p>The antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is active against oral bacteria and has been demonstrated to be present in human saliva, but its distribution in different fractions of saliva is not known. LL-37 is formed from its intracellular pro-form, hCAP18, in an extracellular enzymatic reaction catalyzed by proteinase 3 and kallikrein 5. Here, we prepared cell-containing and cell-free fractions of unstimulated human whole saliva by centrifugation after depolymerization of mucins with dithiothreitol, and measured the levels of hCAP18/LL-37 in these fractions using ELISA. Cellular expression of hCAP18/LL-37 was determined by western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The ELISA analyses demonstrated that both cells and cell-free saliva contained hCAP18/LL-37. Western blot analysis of cell-pellet homogenates showed a strong band corresponding to hCAP18 at the correct molecular weight and a weak band corresponding to LL-37. Phase-contrast and light microscopy revealed that the cells consisted of desquamated epithelial cells. These cells expressed cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for hCAP18/LL-37. The peripheral part of the cytoplasm, corresponding to the plasma membrane, was particularly rich in hCAP18/LL-37 immunoreactivity. No immunoreactivity was observed after omission of the primary antibody. We conclude that desquamated epithelial cells of human whole saliva contain antimicrobial hCAP18/LL-37, suggesting that these cells may take part in the innate immune system by harboring and releasing these peptides.</p>}},
  author       = {{Aidoukovitch, Alexandra and Dahl, Sara and Fält, Felicia and Nebel, Daniel and Svensson, Daniel and Tufvesson, Ellen and Nilsson, Bengt-Olof}},
  issn         = {{0909-8836}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--6}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Oral Sciences}},
  title        = {{Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and its pro-form, hCAP18, in desquamated epithelial cells of human whole saliva}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eos.12664}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/eos.12664}},
  volume       = {{128}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}