β-Defensin-2 is a peptide with antimicrobial properties that protects the skin and mucosal membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts.1 It inhibits the growth of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria, including P. gingivalis and S. salivarius.2 β-Defensin-2 (30 μg/ml) stimulates gene expression and production of IL-6, IL-10, CXCL10, CCL2, MIP-3α, and RANTES by keratinocytes.3 It also stimulates calcium mobilization, migration, and proliferation of keratinocytes when used at concentrations of 30, 10, and 40 μg/ml, respectively. β-Defensin-2 induces IL-31 production by human peripheral blood-derived mast cells in vitro when used at a concentration of 10 μg/ml and by rat mast cells in vivo following a 500 ng intradermal dose.4 Expression of β-defensin-2 is increased in psoriatic skin and chronic wounds.5,6
1.Lehrer, R.I.Primate defensinsNat. Rev. Microbiol.2(9)727-738(2004) 2.Ouhara, K., Komatsuzawa, H., Yamada, S., et al.Susceptibilities of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria to antibacterial peptides, β-defensins and LL37, produced by human epithelial cellsJ. Antimicrob. Chemother.55(6)888-896(2005) 3.Niyonsaba, F., Ushio, H., Nakano, N., et al.Antimicrobial peptides human β-defensins stimulate epidermal keratinocyte migration, proliferation and production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokinesJ. Invest. Dermatol.127(3)594-604(2007) 4.Niyonsaba, F., Ushio, H., Hara, M., et al.Antimicrobial peptides human β-defensins and cathelicidin LL-37 induce the secretion of a pruritogenic cytokine IL-31 by human mast cellsJ. Immunol.184(7)3526-3534(2010) 5.Huh, W.-K., Oono, T., Shirafuji, Y., et al.Dynamic alteration of human β-defensin 2 localization from cytoplasm to intercellular space in psoriatic skinJ. Mol. Med. (Berl.)80(10)678-684(2002) 6.Butmarc, J., Yufit, T., Carson, P., et al.Human β-defensin-2 expression is increased in chronic woundsWound Repair Regen.12(4)439-443(2004)