Prenatal human skin expresses the antimicrobial peptide RNase 7.

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) play important roles in skin immune defense due to their capacity to inhibit growth of microbes. During intrauterine life, the skin immune system has to acquire the prerequisites to protect the newborn from infection in the hostile environment after birth, which includes the production of skin AMPs. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of RNase 7, HBD-2/3 and psoriasin during human skin development, thus, providing a deeper insight about the maturity of a fundamental component of the innate immune system. We found low RNase 7 expression levels in the periderm but no expression of HBD-2/3 and psoriasin in first trimester human skin using immunohistochemistry. At the end of the second trimester, RNase 7 is expressed weakly in all epidermal layers with a marked signal in the stratum corneum. HBD-3 and psoriasin are focally expressed while HBD-2 is not detectable. Analysis of supernatants from cultured prenatal skin cells showed that in contrast to adult control, RNase 7 and psoriasin are not found in prenatal skin, suggesting that AMPs are detectable but are not secreted. This study shows the differential expression of AMPs in developing, non-perturbed human prenatal skin. It is conceivable that the combined expression of RNase 7, HBD-3 and psoriasin in fetal skin constitutes a developmental program to exert a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity to maintain sterility in the amniotic cavity.

• Authors: Christopher Schuster, Regine Gläser, Christian Fiala, Wolfgang Eppel, Jürgen Harder, Jens-M Schröder, Adelheid Elbe-Bürger
• Journal: Archives of dermatological research (Arch Dermatol Res) Vol. 305 Issue 6 Pg. 545-9 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1432-069X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 23545750 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• DEFB103A protein, human
• DEFB4A protein, human
• S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7
• S100 Proteins
• S100A7 protein, human
• beta-Defensins
• Ribonucleases
• Ribonuclease 7

Topics

• Cells, Cultured
• Epidermis (embryology, enzymology)
• Female
• Gestational Age
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Trimester, First
• Pregnancy Trimester, Second
• Ribonucleases (metabolism)
• S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7
• S100 Proteins (metabolism)
• beta-Defensins (metabolism)