Nicotine induces upregulated expression of beta defensin-2 via the p38MAPK pathway in the HaCaT human keratinocyte cell line

• Published in: Medical molecular morphology 2010-12, Vol.43 (4), p.204-210
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Sumiko, Saitoh, Masato, Yamazaki, Mami, Nishimura, Michiko, Kurashige, Yoshihito, Arakawa, Toshiya, Takuma, Taishin, Kaku, Tohru, Abiko, Yoshihiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Antimicrobial agents; beta-Defensins - biosynthesis; beta-Defensins - genetics; beta-Defensins - metabolism; Cell Line; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Epithelial Cells; Gene expression; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - genetics; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - metabolism; Keratinocytes - drug effects; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Molecular Medicine; Nicotine; Nicotine - pharmacology; Nicotinic Antagonists - pharmacology; Original Paper; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Pathology; Peptides; Receptors, Nicotinic - drug effects; Receptors, Nicotinic - genetics; Receptors, Nicotinic - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Tubocurarine - pharmacology; Up-Regulation - genetics
• ISSN: 1860-1480; 1860-1499
• DOI: 10.1007/s00795-010-0493-4

Human beta-defensins (hBDs), a group of antimicrobial peptides, are involved in the protective barrier of the oral epithelium. Nicotine induces periodontal and oral epithelial diseases. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of nicotine on the expression pattern of hBD-2 in keratinocytes. HaCaT cells, a keratinocyte cell line, were incubated with 8, 15, 30, or 80 μM nicotine for 24 h. Expression of hBD-2 was observed by RT-PCR, qRTPCR, and ELISA assay. The cells were treated with inhibitors for intracellular pathways (p38MAP kinase, NF-κB, JNK, MAPK-ERK) and with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) inhibitors in a series of experiments. Data were analyzed using Student’s t test. qRT-PCR revealed that the expression level of hBD-2 mRNA was significantly higher at 30 and 80 μM nicotine than the control without nicotine ( P < 0.05). The 80 μM cell extraction contained significantly higher hBD-2 peptide levels than the control ( P < 0.05). The p38MAP kinase inhibitor abolished the upregulated expression of hBD-2 by nicotine. Both nAChR inhibitors also abolished the upregulation of hBD-2 by nicotine. The present study demonstrated that nicotine causes upregulated expression of hBD-2 via the p38MAP kinase pathway in keratinocytes.