Effects on antigen-presenting cells of short-term interaction with the human host defence peptide beta-defensin 2
SR-IRMS capabilities were exploited for highlighting complementary mechanims of action, never discovered before, of host defence peptide β-defensin 2 in modulating adaptive immunity.
F. Morgera et al., Biochem. J. 436, 537 (2011)
hBD2 (human β-defensin 2) is an antimicrobial peptidethat plays a role in alerting and enhancing cellular components of innate and adaptive immunity. In the present study, SR-IRMS was employed for studying the peptide interaction with iDCs (immature dendritic cells). A different iDC response to short-term exposure to hBD2 was elicited and correlated with a peculiar cellular morphology and internal complexity, as revealed also by flow cytometry. Prominent differences in lipid order and composition were detected between responsive iDCs; in particular, a relevant decrease in the IR-signal of carbonyl ester of phospholipids, below the detection limit, was observed in the cytoplasmic region as a consequence of hBD2 exposure and related |
to cellular degranulation upon activation. These events were associated with the chemotaxis of iDCs, which appears to occur not only via CCR6 (CC chemokine Receptor 6)-dependent mechanism but also via a CCR6-independent one, involving a meaningful re-organization of the endomembrane system.
Effects on antigen-presenting cells of short-term interaction with the human host defence peptide β-defensin 2. F. Morgera, S. Pacor, L. Creatti, N. Antcheva, L. Vaccari. Biochem. J. 436, 537-546 (2011) |