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HMGN2: a novel antimicrobial effector molecule of human mononuclear leukocytes?
Author(s) -
Feng Yun,
Huang Ning,
Wu Qi,
Wang Boyao
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1189/jlb.0505280
Subject(s) - biology , effector , antimicrobial , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , in vitro , biochemistry
Leukocytes are a central cellular element of innate‐immune defense in mammals. In addition to the generation of toxic oxygen radicals and nitric oxide, leukocytes express and secrete a broad array of antimicrobial proteins and peptides. In the study, an antimicrobial polypeptide was isolated and purified from human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes in the presence of interleukin (IL)‐2. Microsequencing provided that its N‐terminal amino sequence was PKRKAEGDAK, which was identical to high mobility group nucleosomal‐binding domain 2 (HMGN2). Mass spectrometric value and Western blot also indicated its individual character of HMGN2. The antimicrobial assays showed that the Escherichia coli ‐based production of HMGN2 had a potent antimicrobial activity against E. coli ML‐35p, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and to some extent, against Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The HMGN2 α‐helical domain had the same antimicrobial activity as HMGN2. The immunocytochemistry staining, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot revealed that HMGN2 was present in the cytoplasm of mononuclear leukocytes and released to the extracellular environment when stimulated with IL‐2. These results suggest that HMGN2 would be a novel antimicrobial effector molecule of human mononuclear leukocyte.