Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0043167 (pertussis)
 19,595 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We examined the susceptibilities of Bordetella pertussis strains to several antimicrobial peptides by determining the concentration required to inhibit or kill 50% of the bacterial population. The peptides are ranked in decreasing potency as follows: cecropin B > cecropin A >> melittin > cecropin P1 > (ala8,13,18)-magainin II amide > mastoparan = defensin HNP1 > protamine > or = magainin II = magainin I. By using a radial diffusion assay to compare susceptibilities between strains, wild-type B. pertussis BP338 was more resistant than the avirulent bvg mutant strain BP347 and the brk mutant strain BPM2041 to killing by cecropin P1. In contrast, compared with the wild type, the avirulent BP347 strain was highly resistant to killing by protamine and defensin HNP1.
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PMID:Susceptibilities of Bordetella pertussis strains to antimicrobial peptides. 884 26

The 14-kDa myeloid-related protein (MRP-14) and its heterodimeric partner, MRP-8, are members of the S100 family of calcium-binding proteins (S100A9 and S100A8, respectively). Their importance in neutrophil function is implied by their unusual abundance in neutrophil cytosol (approximately 40% of cytosolic protein). Previous work from our laboratory has demonstrated the extracellular association of these proteins with vascular endothelium adjacent to transmigrating leukocytes. We report here a function for MRP-14 as a stimulator of neutrophil adhesion mediated by the beta 2 integrin, Mac-1. MRP-14 is an affinity regulator of Mac-1 because it promotes binding of soluble ligand and expression of an "activation reporter" epitope of high affinity beta 2 integrins recognized by mAb24. The activity of MRP-14 is confined to regulating integrin function because, unlike other inflammatory agonists, there was no release of L-selectin, up-regulation of cytosolic Mac-1, or induction of neutrophil respiratory burst or calcium flux. Furthermore, MRP-14 does not act as a chemoattractant or cause alterations in cell shape or cytoskeleton. MRP-8 has a regulatory role in MRP-14 activity, inhibiting the adhesion induced by MRP-14 through the formation of the heterodimer. In terms of mechanism of action, MRP-14 does not increase Mac-1 function by direct binding to this integrin but recognizes a distinct receptor on neutrophils. This receptor interaction is pertussis toxin sensitive, indicating that MRP-14-generated signals leading to a Mac-1 affinity increase are heterotrimeric G protein dependent. We postulate that MRP-14 and MRP-8 are important in vivo candidates for the regulated adhesion of neutrophils through control of Mac-1 activity.
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PMID:The human S100 protein MRP-14 is a novel activator of the beta 2 integrin Mac-1 on neutrophils. 957 May 63

Defensins are endogenous antimicrobial peptides stored in neutrophil granules. Here we report that a panel of defensins from human, rat, guinea pig, and rabbit neutrophils all have histamine-releasing activity, degranulating rat peritoneal mast cells with EC50 ranging from 70 to 2500 nM, and between 45 and 60% of the total histamine released. The EC50 for defensin-induced histamine secretion correlates with their net basic charge at neutral pH. There is no correlation between histamine release and antimicrobial potency. Degranulation induced by defensins has characteristics similar to those of activation by substance P. The maximum percent histamine release is achieved in <10 s, and it can be markedly inhibited by pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml) and by pretreatment of mast cells with neuraminidase. These properties differ from those for degranulation induced by IgE-dependent Ag stimulation and by the calcium ionophore A23187. GTPase activity, a measure of G protein activation, was induced in a membrane fraction from mast cells following treatment with defensin. Thus, neutrophil defensins are potent mast cell secretagogues that act in a manner similar to substance P and 48/80, through a rapid G protein-dependent response that is mechanistically distinct from Ag/IgE-dependent mast cell activation. Defensins may provide important pathways for communication between neutrophils and mast cells in defenses against microbial agents and in acute inflammatory responses.
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PMID:Neutrophil defensins induce histamine secretion from mast cells: mechanisms of action. 1039 91

Innate immunity plays an important role in protection against respiratory infections in humans and animals. Host defense peptides such as beta-defensins represent major components of innate immunity. We recently developed a novel porcine model of pertussis, an important respiratory disease of young children and infants worldwide. Here, we investigated the role of porcine beta-defensin 1 (pBD-1), a porcine defensin homologue of human beta-defensin 2, in conferring protection against respiratory infection with Bordetella pertussis. In this model, newborn piglets were fully susceptible to infection and developed severe bronchopneumonia. In contrast, piglets older than 4 weeks of age were protected against infection with B. pertussis. Protection was associated with the expression of pBD-1 in the upper respiratory tract. In fact, pBD-1 expression was developmentally regulated, and the absence of pBD-1 was thought to contribute to the increased susceptibility of newborn piglets to infection with B. pertussis. Bronchoalveolar lavage specimens collected from older animals as well as chemically synthesized pBD-1 displayed strong antimicrobial activity against B. pertussis in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo treatment of newborn piglets with only 500 mug pBD-1 at the time of challenge conferred protection against infection with B. pertussis. Interestingly, pBD-1 displayed no bactericidal activity in vitro against Bordetella bronchiseptica, a closely related natural pathogen of pigs. Our results demonstrate that host defense peptides play an important role in protection against pertussis and are essential in modulating innate immune responses against respiratory infections.
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PMID:The host defense peptide beta-defensin 1 confers protection against Bordetella pertussis in newborn piglets. 1655 64