Differential gene expression of human beta-defensins (hBD-1, -2, -3) in inflammatory gingival diseases.

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides, like human beta-defensins, play an important role in the epithelial innate defense response. The aim of the present study was to investigate the quantitative expression of human beta-defensin-1, -2, and -3 in inflammatory gingival diseases. Gingival biopsies were obtained from patients with healthy gingiva (n = 10), patients with gingivitis (n = 10), and patients with periodontitis (n = 10). The clinical diagnosis was verified by histology. Gingival tissues were used for RNA extraction followed by reverse transcription. Gene expression was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (normalization with GAP-DH). Comparing the tissues with different clinical stages of health and disease, no significant differences in mRNA expression were found for any of the beta-defensins studied. Similar levels of expression were found in healthy gingiva, whereas in gingivitis samples there was a significantly higher expression of hBD-2 compared to hBD-1 (P = 0.004) and hBD-3 (P = 0.016). Likewise, in periodontitis samples, hBD-2 expression was significantly higher than hBD-1 (P = 0.016); however, hBD-2 expression was comparable to hBD-3. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed a differential expression of human beta-defensins (hBD-1, -2, -3) in tissues with inflammatory gingival disease.

• Authors: H Dommisch, Y Açil, A Dunsche, J Winter, S Jepsen
• Journal: Oral microbiology and immunology (Oral Microbiol Immunol) Vol. 20 Issue 3 Pg. 186-90 (Jun 2005) ISSN: 0902-0055 [Print] Denmark
• PMID: 15836521 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DEFB1 protein, human
• DEFB4A protein, human
• Defensins
• beta-Defensins

Topics

• Defensins (analysis)
• Gene Expression
• Gingivitis (metabolism)
• Humans
• Periodontitis (metabolism)
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• beta-Defensins (analysis)