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1: Science. 1999 Oct 15;286(5439):525-8.Click here to read Links
Comment in:
Science. 1999 Oct 15;286(5439):420-1.

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

Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation, Division of Basic Sciences, Intramural Research Support Program, SAIC Frederick, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA.

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.

PMID: 10521347 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]