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Antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is highly expressed in breast cancer and is a putative growth factor for epithelial cells

Heilborn, Johan D ; Nilsson, Margareta Frohm ; Jimenez, Clara I Chamorro ; Sandstedt, Bengt ; Borregaard, Niels ; Tham, Emma ; Sørensen, Ole E LU ; Weber, Gunther and Stahle, Mona (2005) In International Journal of Cancer 114(5). p.713-719
Abstract
Human cathelicidin antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is an effector molecule of the nonspecific innate immune system. hCAP18/LL-37 is present in leukocytes and is expressed in skin and other epithelia, where it is upregulated in association with inflammation and injury. In addition, antimicrobial proteins including cathelicidins have been proposed to play a role in the nonspecific defense against tumors. To assess its potential role in tumor host defense, we investigated the expression of hCAP18/LL-37 in a series of breast carcinomas. Unexpectedly, we found that hCAP18/LL-37 was strongly expressed in the tumor cells and not in the adjacent stroma. To test the hypothesis that hCAP18/LL-37 may provide a growth advantage for the tumor cells,... (More)
Human cathelicidin antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is an effector molecule of the nonspecific innate immune system. hCAP18/LL-37 is present in leukocytes and is expressed in skin and other epithelia, where it is upregulated in association with inflammation and injury. In addition, antimicrobial proteins including cathelicidins have been proposed to play a role in the nonspecific defense against tumors. To assess its potential role in tumor host defense, we investigated the expression of hCAP18/LL-37 in a series of breast carcinomas. Unexpectedly, we found that hCAP18/LL-37 was strongly expressed in the tumor cells and not in the adjacent stroma. To test the hypothesis that hCAP18/LL-37 may provide a growth advantage for the tumor cells, we treated human epithelial cell lines with synthetic biologically active LL-37 peptide and found a significant increase in cell proliferation. In addition, transgenic expression of hCAP18 in 2 different human epithelial cell lines resulted in increased proliferation of both cell types. These findings do not support the hypothesis that LL-37 has an antitumor effect, but rather suggest that hCAP18/LL-37 may promote tumor cell growth in breast cancer. (Less)
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author
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
innate immunity, breast cancer, cathelin, growth factor, proliferation
in
International Journal of Cancer
volume
114
issue
5
pages
713 - 719
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:15609314
  • scopus:14844311295
ISSN
0020-7136
DOI
10.1002/ijc.20795
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
05e5adf3-fc81-497a-9494-b09b4ce3cc7f (old id 1132220)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:33:54
date last changed
2022-02-11 08:42:25
@article{05e5adf3-fc81-497a-9494-b09b4ce3cc7f,
  abstract     = {{Human cathelicidin antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is an effector molecule of the nonspecific innate immune system. hCAP18/LL-37 is present in leukocytes and is expressed in skin and other epithelia, where it is upregulated in association with inflammation and injury. In addition, antimicrobial proteins including cathelicidins have been proposed to play a role in the nonspecific defense against tumors. To assess its potential role in tumor host defense, we investigated the expression of hCAP18/LL-37 in a series of breast carcinomas. Unexpectedly, we found that hCAP18/LL-37 was strongly expressed in the tumor cells and not in the adjacent stroma. To test the hypothesis that hCAP18/LL-37 may provide a growth advantage for the tumor cells, we treated human epithelial cell lines with synthetic biologically active LL-37 peptide and found a significant increase in cell proliferation. In addition, transgenic expression of hCAP18 in 2 different human epithelial cell lines resulted in increased proliferation of both cell types. These findings do not support the hypothesis that LL-37 has an antitumor effect, but rather suggest that hCAP18/LL-37 may promote tumor cell growth in breast cancer.}},
  author       = {{Heilborn, Johan D and Nilsson, Margareta Frohm and Jimenez, Clara I Chamorro and Sandstedt, Bengt and Borregaard, Niels and Tham, Emma and Sørensen, Ole E and Weber, Gunther and Stahle, Mona}},
  issn         = {{0020-7136}},
  keywords     = {{innate immunity; breast cancer; cathelin; growth factor; proliferation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{713--719}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Cancer}},
  title        = {{Antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is highly expressed in breast cancer and is a putative growth factor for epithelial cells}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijc.20795}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/ijc.20795}},
  volume       = {{114}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}