Human β-defensin-2 (HβD-2) is a cationic skin-antimicrobial peptide (SAP) characterized by its small size and rich cysteine content. It is produced by various epithelial cells and exhibits potent antimicrobial properties against gram-negative bacteria and Candida. However, it does not effectively target gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Given these characteristics, Human β-defensin-2 serves as a valuable tool in colitis research.

β-Defensin-2 is a peptide with antimicrobial properties that protects the skin and mucosal membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts.1It inhibits the growth of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria, includingP. gingivalisandS. salivarius.2β-Defensin-2 (30 μg/ml) stimulates gene expression and production of IL-6, IL-10, CXCL10, CCL2, MIP-3α, and RANTES by keratinocytes.3It also stimulates calcium mobilization, migration, and proliferation of keratinocytes when used at concentrations of 30, 10, and 40 μg/ml, respectively. β-Defensin-2 induces IL-31 production by human peripheral blood-derived mast cellsin vitrowhen used at a concentration of 10 μg/ml and by rat mast cellsin vivofollowing a 500 ng intradermal dose.4Expression of β-defensin-2 is increased in psoriatic skin and chronic wounds.5,6 1.Lehrer, R.I.Primate defensinsNat. Rev. Microbiol.2(9)727-738(2004) 2.Ouhara, K., Komatsuzawa, H., Yamada, S., et al.Susceptibilities of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria to antibacterial peptides, β-defensins and LL37, produced by human epithelial cellsJ. Antimicrob. Chemother.55(6)888-896(2005) 3.Niyonsaba, F., Ushio, H., Nakano, N., et al.Antimicrobial peptides human β-defensins stimulate epidermal keratinocyte migration, proliferation and production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokinesJ. Invest. Dermatol.127(3)594-604(2007) 4.Niyonsaba, F., Ushio, H., Hara, M., et al.Antimicrobial peptides human β-defensins and cathelicidin LL-37 induce the secretion of a pruritogenic cytokine IL-31 by human mast cellsJ. Immunol.184(7)3526-3534(2010) 5.Huh, W.-K., Oono, T., Shirafuji, Y., et al.Dynamic alteration of human β-defensin 2 localization from cytoplasm to intercellular space in psoriatic skinJ. Mol. Med. (Berl.)80(10)678-684(2002) 6.Butmarc, J., Yufit, T., Carson, P., et al.Human β-defensin-2 expression is increased in chronic woundsWound Repair Regen.12(4)439-443(2004)

β-Defensin-1 is a peptide with antimicrobial properties that protects the skin and mucosal membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts.1It inhibits the growth ofB. adolescentis,L. acidophilus,B. breve,B. vulgatus,L. fermentum,B. longum, andS. thermophilusin an antimicrobial radial diffusion assay.2β-Defensin-1 also inhibits the growth of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria, includingP. gingivalisandS. salivarius, and of susceptibleM. tuberculosisH37Rv but not of resistantM. tuberculosisRM22 when used at a concentration of 128 μg/ml.3,4It blocks human and mouse Kv1.3 voltage-gated potassium channels (IC50s = 11.8 and 13.2 μM, respectively).5Overexpression of β-defensin-1 in the human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines HSC-3, UM-1, and SCC-9 increases migration and invasion but not proliferation.6 1.Lehrer, R.I.Primate defensinsNat. Rev. Microbiol.2(9)727-738(2004) 2.Schroeder, B.O., Ehmann, D., Precht, J.C., et al.Paneth cell α-defensin 6 (HD-6) is an antimicrobial peptideMucosal Immunol.8(3)661-671(2015) 3.Ouhara, K., Komatsuzawa, H., Yamada, S., et al.Susceptibilities of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria to antibacterial peptides, β-defensins and LL37, produced by human epithelial cellsJ. Antimicrob. Chemother.55(6)888-896(2005) 4.Fattorini, L., Gennaro, R., Zanetti, M., et al.In vitro activity of protegrin-1 and beta-defensin-1, alone and in combination with isoniazid, against Mycobacterium tuberculosisPeptides25(7)1075-1077(2004) 5.Feng, J., Xie, Z., Yang, W., et al.Human beta-defensin 1, a new animal toxin-like blocker of potassium channelToxicon113(2016) 6.Han, Q., Wang, R., Sun, C., et al.Human beta-defensin-1 suppresses tumor migration and invasion and is an independent predictor for survival of oral squamous cell carcinoma patientsPLoS One9(3)e91867(2014)