Beta-defensins: linking innate and adaptive immunity through dendritic and T cell CCR6.

Yang, D; Chertov, O; Bykovskaia, S N; Chen, Q; Buffo, M J; Shogan, J; Anderson, M; Schröder, J M et al. · Science · 1999

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Defensins contribute to host defense by disrupting the cytoplasmic membrane of microorganisms. This report shows that human beta-defensins are also chemotactic for immature dendritic cells and memory T cells. Human beta-defensin was selectively chemotactic for cells stably transfected to express human CCR6, a chemokine receptor preferentially expressed by immature dendritic cells and memory T cells. The beta-defensin-induced chemotaxis was sensitive to pertussis toxin and inhibited by antibodies to CCR6. The binding of iodinated LARC, the chemokine ligand for CCR6, to CCR6-transfected cells was competitively displaced by beta-defensin. Thus, beta-defensins may promote adaptive immune responses by recruiting dendritic and T cells to the site of microbial invasion through interaction with CCR6.

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