Retention of lipoproteins within the vasculature is a central event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, the signals that mediate this process are only partially understood. Prompted by putative links between inflammation and atherosclerosis, we previously reported that alpha-defensins released by neutrophils are present in human atherosclerotic lesions and promote the binding of li...

Bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) were examined for the expression of beta-defensins and to determine whether their expression could be upregulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as observed with beta-defensins expressed in bovine tracheal epithelial cells. Four beta-defensins were expressed constitutively in BAM, with bovine neutrophil beta-defensin (BNBD)-4 and BNBD-5 being the most p...

We present a case of chronic periprosthetic hip infection diagnosed using the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria as the gold standard. The alpha-defensin test was falsely negative. The diagnostic workup of the patient is detailed, along with a discussion regarding the potential reasons behind the misleading alpha-defensin results. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a f...

Tremendous progress has been made in identifying genes involved in pigmentation in dogs in the past few years. Comparative genomics has both aided and benefited from these findings. Seven genes that cause specific coat colours and/or patterns in dogs have been identified: melanocortin 1 receptor, tyrosinase related protein 1, agouti signal peptide, melanophilin, SILV (formerly PMEL17), micropht...

Defensins represent an evolutionary ancient family of antimicrobial peptides that play diverse roles in human health and disease. Defensins are cationic cysteine-containing multifunctional peptides predominantly expressed by epithelial cells or neutrophils. Defensins play a key role in host innate immune responses to infection and, in addition to their classically described role as antimicrobia...

One component of host defense at mucosal surfaces appears to be epithelium-derived peptides with antimicrobial activity called defensins. Human beta-defensin 1 (hBD-1) represents the first member of the beta-defensin family isolated from humans and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis. We describe in this report the isolation and characterization of a murine homolog of hBD...

Paneth cells at the base of small intestinal crypts secrete microbicidal α-defensins, termed cryptdins (Crps) in mice, as mediators of innate immunity. Proteomic studies show that five abundant Paneth cell α-defensins in C57BL/6 mice are strain specific in that they have not been identified in other inbred strains of mice. Two C57BL/6-specific peptides are coded for by the Defcr20 and -21 genes...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The antimicrobial activity of the tear film exceeds the activity of its known constituents. The authors postulate that this excess activity is the result of antimicrobial peptides called defensins, and they aimed to look for defensins in the human eye. METHODS Evidence of defensin production was sought by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Intron spannin...

The black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis Linnaeus (Acari: Ixodidae) is an important vector of microbial pathogens. Knowledge of the tick's innate immune response, particularly defensin and other antimicrobial peptides, is important for understanding how microbes survive in this tick. A defensin gene (slnA) from I. scapularis was obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR...