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The human cationic antimicrobial protein (hCAP18), a peptide antibiotic, is widely expressed in human squamous epithelia and colocalizes with interleukin-6

Frohm Nilsson, M ; Sandstedt, B ; Sørensen, O LU ; Weber, G ; Borregaard, N and Ståhle-Bäckdahl, M (1999) In Infection and Immunity 67(5). p.6-2561
Abstract

Peptide antibiotics are widespread in nature and, by providing a rapid first line of defense, may be key players in the innate immune system. Although epithelia are the main barriers shielding the internal environment from microorganisms, the role for peptide antibiotics in epithelial protection is unclear. We recently reported that the human cationic antimicrobial protein hCAP18, the precursor of the antimicrobial peptide called LL-37, is not expressed by normal human keratinocytes but is induced in various inflammatory skin disorders. In the present study we demonstrate that hCAP18 is consistently expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in squamous epithelia of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, cervix, and vagina in humans. The gene for... (More)

Peptide antibiotics are widespread in nature and, by providing a rapid first line of defense, may be key players in the innate immune system. Although epithelia are the main barriers shielding the internal environment from microorganisms, the role for peptide antibiotics in epithelial protection is unclear. We recently reported that the human cationic antimicrobial protein hCAP18, the precursor of the antimicrobial peptide called LL-37, is not expressed by normal human keratinocytes but is induced in various inflammatory skin disorders. In the present study we demonstrate that hCAP18 is consistently expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in squamous epithelia of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, cervix, and vagina in humans. The gene for hCAP18 contains promoter elements that are potentially regulated by interleukin-6, and our data further show a colocalization between interleukin-6 and hCAP18 expression in these tissues. Our finding that hCAP18 is widely produced in squamous epithelia suggests a role for this peptide in epithelial antimicrobial defense. Furthermore, colocalization with interleukin-6 indicates a potential local mechanism for the upregulation of hCAP18 at the epithelial surfaces.

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author
; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anti-Bacterial Agents/metabolism, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides, Carrier Proteins/metabolism, Cathelicidins, Cervix Uteri/immunology, Epithelium/immunology, Esophagus/immunology, Female, Gene Expression, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, In Situ Hybridization, Interleukin-6/metabolism, Mouth/immunology, RNA, Messenger/genetics, Tongue/immunology, Vagina/immunology
in
Infection and Immunity
volume
67
issue
5
pages
6 pages
publisher
American Society for Microbiology
external identifiers
  • pmid:10225921
  • scopus:0032903987
ISSN
0019-9567
DOI
10.1128/IAI.67.5.2561-2566.1999
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
85d5967a-14fc-42c5-a214-e9781ee38b49
date added to LUP
2020-11-05 13:49:41
date last changed
2024-05-31 02:21:58
@article{85d5967a-14fc-42c5-a214-e9781ee38b49,
  abstract     = {{<p>Peptide antibiotics are widespread in nature and, by providing a rapid first line of defense, may be key players in the innate immune system. Although epithelia are the main barriers shielding the internal environment from microorganisms, the role for peptide antibiotics in epithelial protection is unclear. We recently reported that the human cationic antimicrobial protein hCAP18, the precursor of the antimicrobial peptide called LL-37, is not expressed by normal human keratinocytes but is induced in various inflammatory skin disorders. In the present study we demonstrate that hCAP18 is consistently expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in squamous epithelia of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, cervix, and vagina in humans. The gene for hCAP18 contains promoter elements that are potentially regulated by interleukin-6, and our data further show a colocalization between interleukin-6 and hCAP18 expression in these tissues. Our finding that hCAP18 is widely produced in squamous epithelia suggests a role for this peptide in epithelial antimicrobial defense. Furthermore, colocalization with interleukin-6 indicates a potential local mechanism for the upregulation of hCAP18 at the epithelial surfaces.</p>}},
  author       = {{Frohm Nilsson, M and Sandstedt, B and Sørensen, O and Weber, G and Borregaard, N and Ståhle-Bäckdahl, M}},
  issn         = {{0019-9567}},
  keywords     = {{Anti-Bacterial Agents/metabolism; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Carrier Proteins/metabolism; Cathelicidins; Cervix Uteri/immunology; Epithelium/immunology; Esophagus/immunology; Female; Gene Expression; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Interleukin-6/metabolism; Mouth/immunology; RNA, Messenger/genetics; Tongue/immunology; Vagina/immunology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{6--2561}},
  publisher    = {{American Society for Microbiology}},
  series       = {{Infection and Immunity}},
  title        = {{The human cationic antimicrobial protein (hCAP18), a peptide antibiotic, is widely expressed in human squamous epithelia and colocalizes with interleukin-6}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/IAI.67.5.2561-2566.1999}},
  doi          = {{10.1128/IAI.67.5.2561-2566.1999}},
  volume       = {{67}},
  year         = {{1999}},
}