Abstract
A human bronchial xenograft model was used to characterize the molecular basis for the previously described defect in bacterial killing that is present in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. Airway surface fluid from CF grafts contained abnormally high NaCl and failed to kill bacteria, defects that were corrected with adenoviral vectors. A full-length clone for the only known human β-defensin (i.e., hBD-1) was isolated. This gene is expressed throughout the respiratory epithelia of non-CF and CF lungs, and its protein product shows salt-dependent antimicrobial activity to P. aeruginosa. Antisense oligonucleotides to hBD-1 ablated the antimicrobial activity in airway surface fluid from non-CF grafts. These data suggest that hBD-1 plays an important role in innate immunity that is compromised in CF by its salt-dependent inactivation.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
