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Human γδ T Cells Produce the Protease Inhibitor and Antimicrobial Peptide Elafin
Author(s) -
Marischen L.,
Wesch D.,
Schröder J.M.,
Wiedow O.,
Kabelitz D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2009.02337.x
Subject(s) - elafin , protease , antimicrobial , peptide , protease inhibitor (pharmacology) , antimicrobial peptides , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , virology , biology , biochemistry , enzyme , immunology , virus , antiretroviral therapy , viral load
Human γδ T cells rapidly secrete pro‐inflammatory cytokines in response to T cell receptor‐dependent recognition of pyrophosphates produced by many bacteria and parasites. In further support of an important role of γδ T cells in the immune defence against infection, human γδ T cells have been shown to produce the antimicrobial peptide LL37/cathelicidin. In this study, we have investigated whether γδ T cells can produce additional antimicrobial peptides. To this end, we have screened human γδ T cell clones by RT‐PCR for mRNA expression of a broad range of antimicrobial peptides. While α‐defensins were absent and β‐defensins (HBD1) present only in rare γδ T cell clones, elafin mRNA was induced by supernatant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown under static conditions. Elafin is a protease inhibitor that also displays antimicrobial activity. Constitutive intracellular expression of elafin was demonstrated by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, trappin‐2 (pre‐elafin) could be immunoprecipitated in cell lysates but also in the supernatant of γδ T cells stimulated by Ps. aeruginosa supernatant. Taken together, our studies reveal a novel effector function of γδ T cells which might be important for local immune defence.