Constitutive expression of the antibacterial CXC chemokine GCP-2/CXCL6 by epithelial cells of the male reproductive tract.
Collin, Mattias LU
; Linge, Helena
LU
; Bjartell, Anders
LU
; Giwercman, Aleksander
LU
; Malm, Johan
LU
and Egesten, Arne
LU
(2008)
In Journal of Reproductive Immunology
79.
p.37-43
- Abstract
- The reproductive tract is continuously challenged by potential pathogens present in the environment. Therefore, robust host defense mechanisms are essential both for the health of the individual and for fertilization. Antibiotic innate immunity peptides possess broad antimicrobial activity. Recently, we found that the CXC chemokine, granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2/CXCL6, possesses antibacterial activity. In the present study, we investigated, therefore, the presence of GCP-2/CXCL6 in the human male reproductive system. GCP-2/CXCL6 was detected at 19nM (mean; range: 5-47nM; n=14) in seminal plasma of fertile donors, i.e. at levels more than 100 times higher than those previously reported for the related chemokine IL-8/CXCL8. No... (More)
- The reproductive tract is continuously challenged by potential pathogens present in the environment. Therefore, robust host defense mechanisms are essential both for the health of the individual and for fertilization. Antibiotic innate immunity peptides possess broad antimicrobial activity. Recently, we found that the CXC chemokine, granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2/CXCL6, possesses antibacterial activity. In the present study, we investigated, therefore, the presence of GCP-2/CXCL6 in the human male reproductive system. GCP-2/CXCL6 was detected at 19nM (mean; range: 5-47nM; n=14) in seminal plasma of fertile donors, i.e. at levels more than 100 times higher than those previously reported for the related chemokine IL-8/CXCL8. No GCP-2/CXCL6 could be detected in blood plasma of healthy donors, indicating local production in the male reproductive tract. In vasectomized donors, significantly lower levels of GCP-2/CXCL6 were found (mean: 3nM; range 2-7nM; n=7), demonstrating that the testis and epididymis contribute significantly to the GCP-2/CXCL6 content of seminal plasma. Strong expression of GCP-2/CXCL6 was found in the epithelium of the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicles, while the prostate epithelium showed weak expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry. A biological function is suggested, viz. at concentrations of the order of those found in seminal plasma, GCP-2/CXCL6 has antibacterial activity against the urogenital pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. GCP-2/CXCL6 in seminal plasma may play roles in both host defense of the male urogenital tract and during fertilization. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1242745
- author
- Collin, Mattias
LU
; Linge, Helena
LU
; Bjartell, Anders
LU
; Giwercman, Aleksander
LU
; Malm, Johan
LU
and Egesten, Arne
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of Reproductive Immunology
- volume
- 79
- pages
- 37 - 43
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000260989000005
- pmid:18809212
- scopus:53349102855
- pmid:18809212
- ISSN
- 1872-7603
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jri.2008.08.003
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 07aa55ab-7fe4-4d38-bd1e-9a8e54c7bf94 (old id 1242745)
- alternative location
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18809212?dopt=Abstract
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 08:16:34
- date last changed
- 2022-01-29 03:16:02
@article{07aa55ab-7fe4-4d38-bd1e-9a8e54c7bf94,
abstract = {{The reproductive tract is continuously challenged by potential pathogens present in the environment. Therefore, robust host defense mechanisms are essential both for the health of the individual and for fertilization. Antibiotic innate immunity peptides possess broad antimicrobial activity. Recently, we found that the CXC chemokine, granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2/CXCL6, possesses antibacterial activity. In the present study, we investigated, therefore, the presence of GCP-2/CXCL6 in the human male reproductive system. GCP-2/CXCL6 was detected at 19nM (mean; range: 5-47nM; n=14) in seminal plasma of fertile donors, i.e. at levels more than 100 times higher than those previously reported for the related chemokine IL-8/CXCL8. No GCP-2/CXCL6 could be detected in blood plasma of healthy donors, indicating local production in the male reproductive tract. In vasectomized donors, significantly lower levels of GCP-2/CXCL6 were found (mean: 3nM; range 2-7nM; n=7), demonstrating that the testis and epididymis contribute significantly to the GCP-2/CXCL6 content of seminal plasma. Strong expression of GCP-2/CXCL6 was found in the epithelium of the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicles, while the prostate epithelium showed weak expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry. A biological function is suggested, viz. at concentrations of the order of those found in seminal plasma, GCP-2/CXCL6 has antibacterial activity against the urogenital pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. GCP-2/CXCL6 in seminal plasma may play roles in both host defense of the male urogenital tract and during fertilization.}},
author = {{Collin, Mattias and Linge, Helena and Bjartell, Anders and Giwercman, Aleksander and Malm, Johan and Egesten, Arne}},
issn = {{1872-7603}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{37--43}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Reproductive Immunology}},
title = {{Constitutive expression of the antibacterial CXC chemokine GCP-2/CXCL6 by epithelial cells of the male reproductive tract.}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jri.2008.08.003}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jri.2008.08.003}},
volume = {{79}},
year = {{2008}},
}