Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2013;31(3-4):299-304.
doi: 10.1159/000354681. Epub 2013 Nov 14.

Innate immune functions of α-defensins in the small intestine

Charles L Bevins  1
Affiliations
Review

Innate immune functions of α-defensins in the small intestine

Charles L Bevins. Dig Dis. 2013.

Abstract

The intestinal mucosa interfaces with a complex, dense community of microorganisms, including hundreds of species of resident microbiota and many transient microbes entering from food- and water-borne sources. In the small intestine, Paneth cells (specialized secretory epithelial cells) produce abundant quantities of α-defensins and several other antibiotic peptides. Human Paneth cells make two α-defensins: HD5 and HD6. Data from in vivo models indicate that Paneth cell α-defensins play a pivotal role in defense from food- and water-borne pathogens in the intestine. The mechanism by which these two α-defensins protect from enteric pathogens is quite distinct. HD5 is a potent antimicrobial that kills target microbes by membrane disruption, whereas HD6 is newly discovered to self-assemble to form fibrils and nanonets that surround and entangle bacteria. Recent data suggest that HD5 also serves to help shape the composition of the colonizing microbiota. Studies in humans suggest that reduced expression of HD5 and HD6 is a fundamental feature of ileal Crohn's disease. Mechanistically, the link between reduced Paneth cell α-defensin expression and ileal Crohn's disease pathogenesis may be a result of the weakened mucosal antimicrobial defense and/or alterations in the composition of commensal microbiota.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

Substances

LinkOut - more resources