Expression of Beta-Defensin 131 Promotes an Innate Immune Response in Human Prostate Epithelial Cells

PLoS One. 2015 Dec 9;10(12):e0144776. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144776. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Previously, using the Illumina HumanHT-12 microarray we found that β-defensin 131 (DEFB131), an antimicrobial peptide, is upregulated in the human prostate epithelial cell line RWPE-1 upon stimulation with lipoteichoic acid (LTA; a gram-positive bacterial component), than that in the untreated RWPE-1 cells. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the role of DEFB131 in RWPE-1 cells during bacterial infection. We examined the intracellular signaling pathways and nuclear responses in RWPE-1 cells that contribute to DEFB131 gene induction upon stimulation with LTA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed to determine whether NF-κB directly binds to the DEFB131 promoter after LTA stimulation in RWPE-1 cells. We found that DEFB131 expression was induced by LTA stimulation through TLR2 and p38MAPK/NF-κB activation, which was evident in the phosphorylation of both p38MAPK and IκBα. We also found that SB203580 and Bay11-7082, inhibitors of p38MAPK and NF-κB, respectively, suppressed LTA-induced DEFB131 expression. The chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that NF-κB directly binds to the DEFB131 promoter, suggesting that NF-κB is a direct regulator, and is necessary for LTA-induced DEFB131 expression in RWPE-1 cells. Interestingly, with DEFB131 overexpression in RWPE-1 cells, the accumulation of mRNA and protein secretion of cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12α) and chemokines (CCL20, CCL22, and CXCL8) were significantly enhanced. In addition, DEFB131-transfected RWPE-1 cells markedly induced chemotactic activity in THP-1 monocytes. We concluded that DEFB131 induces cytokine and chemokine upregulation through the TLR2/NF-κB signaling pathway in RWPE-1 cells during bacterial infection and promotes an innate immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Infections / immunology*
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Interleukin-8 / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Male
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Nitriles
  • Prostate / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Teichoic Acids
  • Up-Regulation
  • beta-Defensins / physiology*
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-8
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Nitriles
  • Teichoic Acids
  • beta-Defensins
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2013R1A1A2011824). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.