Expression of human β-defensins in patients with mycosis fungoides

Abstract

The human beta-defensins (hBDs) are peptides with a strong antimicrobial activity. Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and mycosis fungoides (MF) are prone to skin infections. We aimed to investigate the mRNA expression of hBDs in lesional and non-lesional skin of MF patients, and to compare the data with hBD levels found in AD patients and healthy controls. In this prospective pilot study, 13 patients with MF were recruited. Punch biopsies were harvested from the centre of the tumour (lesional) as well as a healthy skin site (non-lesional controls). In addition to the specimens of MF patients, skin samples (healthy controls) were obtained from healthy subjects (n = 15) and patients with acute AD (n = 14). In order to detect mRNA of hBDs, we performed quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. As compared to healthy controls, skin of patients with MF (non-lesional and lesional) and AD patients showed significantly lower hBD-1 mRNA expression and significantly higher hBD-2 and hBD-3 mRNA expression. HBD-1 mRNA levels of lesional skin were significantly lower than those of non-lesional skin. By contrast, significantly increased hBD-2 and hBD-3 mRNA expression was found in lesional skin of MF patients when compared to non-lesional skin. HBD mRNA expression in lesional skin of MF patients did not significantly differ from hBD expression that was observed in AD lesions. We observed an identical pattern of hBD expression in MD and AD suggesting a common regulatory mechanism that might mainly be driven by T helper 2 lymphocytes.

IL-22, but Not IL-17, Dominant Environment in Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma

“…In addition, T H 2 cytokines, such as IL-10 and IL-4, are reported to inhibit IL-17A-induced expression of antimicrobial proteins (25). Based on our results and previous reports, CTCL and AD are polarized toward T H 2 with relatively low T H 17 activity, which might explain low innate defense molecules and frequent bacterial infection observed in these diseases (49,50).…”

Significant upregulation of antimicrobial peptides and proteins in lichen sclerosus

“…inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne and rosacea 9,15–17,20–24 . Altered mRNA expression of AMPs has also been observed in malignant skin conditions such as T‐cell lymphoma and epithelial cancers 25–28 . In the present study, we investigated for the first time expression of AMPs in LS lesions.…”

“…9,[15][16][17][20][21][22][23][24] Altered mRNA expression of AMPs has also been observed in malignant skin conditions such as T-cell lymphoma and epithelial cancers. [25][26][27][28] In the present study, we investigated for the first time expression of AMPs in LS lesions. For the AMPs LL-37 and RNase 7, we did not find significant differences in expression profiles between LS lesions and healthy skin.…”

Risk Factors for Skin Infections in Mycosis Fungoides

“…Human defensins display strong antimicrobial activities. Similar to atopic dermatitis, also known for an increased risk for cutaneous infections, lower human β-defensin (hBD)-1 mRNA expression levels and higher hBD-2 and hBD-3 mRNA expression levels were observed in advanced MF [24,25] .…”