Effect of mycobacterium infection on β-defensin in human lung tissue

  Objective   To study the regulation of human β-defensin-1, 2 gene expression by mycobacterium infection.

  Methods   RNA was isolated from mycobacterium-infected human lung tissue.The human β-defensin-1, 2 cDNA fragment was obtained by RT-PCR amplification.The RT-PCR products around 300 bp, 270 bp in size were cloned separately into pGEM-T easy vector and the recombinant clones were analyzed by digestion with restriction endonucleases and DNA sequencing.

  Results   Sequence analysis confirmed that the RT-PCR products were hBD-1 cDNA and hBD-2 cDNA respectively.The expression of hBD-2 gene was induced in mycobacterium-infected human lung tissue, while the expression of hBD-lgene was enhanced.

  Conclusion   Mycobacterium infection could up-regulate hBD-1, 2 gene expression in human lung tissues.