Expression of human beta-defensins-1, 2 and 4 mRNA in human lung tumor tissue: a pilot study

Shestakova T., Zhuravel E., Bolgova L., Alekseenko O., Soldatkina M., Pogrebnoy P.V.

To analyze the patterns of human beta-defensin-1, 2, 4 (hBDs) expression in human lung tumors. Materials and Methods: Tissue samples of surgically resected human lung tumors (squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), n = 10; adenocarcinoma (AC), n = 10) paired with conditionally normal tissue samples were analized for expression of hBD-1, 2, 4 mRNA by semiquantitive RT-PCR. Results: In a number of studied lung cancer tissue samples, overexpression of defensin mRNA was registered: hBD-1 mRNA (50% of SCC and 60% AC), hBD-2 mRNA (60% of SCC and 50% of AC) or hBD-4 (40% of SCC and 20% AC). No correlation was detected between the levels of hBD-1, hBD-2 and hBD-4 mRNA and histological type, differentiation grade of the tumor, and the stage of the disease, as well as the content of hBD-2 peptide in blood serum of lung cancer patients. Conclusion: Human beta-defensins-1 and -2 are often up-regulated in human lung tumors.