Kurland A R, Schreiner H, Diamond G
Department of Oral Biology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School, Newark, NJ 07101, USA.
J Periodontal Res. 2006 Dec;41(6):567-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.2006.00909.x.
Human beta-defensins have been identified in the oral cavity and are predicted to play a role in the defense against pathogenic bacteria. Homologous rat beta-defensins (RBDs) have been identified, but their expression in the oral cavity has not been examined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the expression of innate immune mediators in the rat gingival epithelium.
Rats were pretreated with antibiotics to depress the normal oral flora, followed by the introduction of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in their food to allow colonization and the development of periodontal disease. At various time points, animals were killed and the gingival epithelium was extracted. Semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure RBD and Toll-like receptor (TLR) mRNA levels.
Three beta-defensins (RBD-1, -2 and -5) and two TLRs (TLR-3 and -4) are expressed in normal rat gingival epithelium. After the introduction of A. actinomycetemcomitans, RBD-1 and RBD-2 mRNA levels increased for the first week followed by a return to basal levels. No change in TLR mRNA levels was observed.
The rat model provides a good system for experimental analysis of the innate immune response to periopathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity, as well as the potential role of beta-defensins in the host response to colonization.
人类β-防御素已在口腔中被鉴定出来，并预计在抵御病原菌方面发挥作用。同源的大鼠β-防御素（RBDs）也已被鉴定，但尚未对其在口腔中的表达进行研究。因此，本研究的目的是调查大鼠牙龈上皮中固有免疫介质的表达情况。
用抗生素对大鼠进行预处理以抑制正常口腔菌群，随后在其食物中引入伴放线放线杆菌以使其定植并引发牙周疾病。在不同时间点处死动物并提取牙龈上皮。进行半定量逆转录聚合酶链反应以测量RBD和Toll样受体（TLR）的mRNA水平。
三种β-防御素（RBD-1、-2和-5）以及两种TLR（TLR-3和-4）在正常大鼠牙龈上皮中表达。引入伴放线放线杆菌后，RBD-1和RBD-2的mRNA水平在第一周升高，随后恢复至基础水平。未观察到TLR mRNA水平的变化。
大鼠模型为实验分析口腔中对牙周病原菌的固有免疫反应以及β-防御素在宿主对定植反应中的潜在作用提供了一个良好的系统。
