Increased expression of human beta-defensin 3 in mollusca contagiosum.

The human beta defensins (hBDs)-2 and -3 are inducible antimicrobial peptides present in human skin. Besides an important role in fighting bacteria, they also have an antiviral function. Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a cutaneous viral disease caused by the MC virus. Lesions show a tendency towards spontaneous regression, which might be caused by antiviral proteins such as defensins. We report a marked increase in hBD-3 immunoreactivity in MC lesions in contrast to hBD-2, which was only marginally increased. We suggest a role for the hBD-3 peptide in MC pathogenesis.