| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Regular Article |
a IHF Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research at the University of Hamburg, D-22529 Hamburg, Germany
HE2, a gene expressed specifically in human epididymis, gives rise to multiple mRNAs that encode a group of small cationic secretory peptides. Localization of HE2 within the defensin gene cluster and prediction that ß-defensin-like modules exist suggest that these peptides have antimicrobial activity and represent components of the innate epithelial defense system of the epididymal duct. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the occurrence of eight human HE2-derived transcripts, including minor mRNA variants, that had previously been shown only in animal species. Employing isoform-specific antibodies against the predicted HE2 products, multiple 4- to 8-kDa peptides were detected in human epididymal epithelium, epididymal fluid, and ejaculate. N-terminal microsequencing has suggested a proteolytic processing of these peptides by a furin-like proprotein convertase, which cleaves a propiece from the longer precursor peptides. HE2
and HE2ß1, representing major peptide isoforms in the human epididymis, were recombinantly expressed, and their susceptibility to furin cleavage was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. Processed recombinant peptides and chemosynthetic fragments were included in antimicrobial tests. In addition to the ß-defensin-like HE2ß1 with its expected antibacterial function, HE2 C-terminal fragments showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, although it showed no significant similarity to ß-defensins nor to any other known protein family.
1 Supported by the German Research Association (DFG contracts Ki 317/5 and Ki 317/8) and by a graduate stipend from the Ernst Schering Research Foundation to H.H.vH. Results presented in this publication are part of the doctoral thesis of H.H.vH.
2 Correspondence: Christiane Kirchhoff, IHF Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research, Grandweg 64, D-22529 Hamburg, Germany. FAX: 49 40 56190864; kirchhoff{at}ihf.de
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. Harder, R. Glaser, and J.-M. Schroder Review: Human antimicrobial proteins effectors of innate immunity Innate Immunity, December 1, 2007; 13(6): 317 - 338. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M.A. Palladino, T.A. Johnson, R. Gupta, J.L. Chapman, and P. Ojha Members of the Toll-Like Receptor Family of Innate Immunity Pattern-Recognition Receptors Are Abundant in the Male Rat Reproductive Tract Biol Reprod, June 1, 2007; 76(6): 958 - 964. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. C. W. Avellar, L. Honda, K. G. Hamil, Y. Radhakrishnan, S. Yenugu, G. Grossman, P. Petrusz, F. S. French, and S. H. Hall Novel Aspects of the Sperm-Associated Antigen 11 (SPAG11) Gene Organization and Expression in Cattle (Bos taurus) Biol Reprod, June 1, 2007; 76(6): 1103 - 1116. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. Thimon, M. Belghazi, J.-L. Dacheux, and J.-L. Gatti Analysis of furin ectodomain shedding in epididymal fluid of mammals: demonstration that shedding of furin occurs in vivo. Reproduction, December 1, 2006; 132(6): 899 - 908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Sun, C. M. Finnegan, T. Kish-Catalone, R. Blumenthal, P. Garzino-Demo, G. M. La Terra Maggiore, S. Berrone, C. Kleinman, Z. Wu, S. Abdelwahab, et al. Human {beta}-Defensins Suppress Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Potential Role in Mucosal Protection J. Virol., November 15, 2005; 79(22): 14318 - 14329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Liao, P. S. Ruddock, A. S. Rizvi, S. H. Hall, F. S. French, and J. R. Dillon Cationic peptide of the male reproductive tract, HE2{alpha}, displays antimicrobial activity against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis J. Antimicrob. Chemother., November 1, 2005; 56(5): 957 - 961. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Zhang, R. Gao, H. Zhang, X. Cai, C. Shen, C. Wu, S. Zhao, and L. Yu Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Three Novel Lysozyme-Like Genes, Predominantly Expressed in the Male Reproductive System of Humans, Belonging to the C-Type Lysozyme/Alpha-Lactalbumin Family Biol Reprod, November 1, 2005; 73(5): 1064 - 1071. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. A. Patil, Y. Cai, Y. Sang, F. Blecha, and G. Zhang Cross-species analysis of the mammalian {beta}-defensin gene family: presence of syntenic gene clusters and preferential expression in the male reproductive tract Physiol Genomics, September 21, 2005; 23(1): 5 - 17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Lennartsson, K. Pieters, K. Vidovic, and U. Gullberg A murine antibacterial ortholog to human bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is expressed in testis, epididymis, and bone marrow J. Leukoc. Biol., March 1, 2005; 77(3): 369 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. C. W. Avellar, L. Honda, K. G. Hamil, S. Yenugu, G. Grossman, P. Petrusz, F. S. French, and S. H. Hall Differential Expression and Antibacterial Activity of Epididymis Protein 2 Isoforms in the Male Reproductive Tract of Human and Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) Biol Reprod, November 1, 2004; 71(5): 1453 - 1460. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Yenugu, R. T. Richardson, P. Sivashanmugam, Z. Wang, M. G. O'Rand, F. S. French, and S. H. Hall Antimicrobial Activity of Human EPPIN, an Androgen-Regulated, Sperm-Bound Protein with a Whey Acidic Protein Motif Biol Reprod, November 1, 2004; 71(5): 1484 - 1490. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. S. Prins and W. Bremner The 25th Volume: President's Message: Andrology in the 20th Century: A Commentary on Our Progress During the Past 25 Years J Androl, July 1, 2004; 25(4): 435 - 440. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Yenugu, K. G. Hamil, Y. Radhakrishnan, F. S. French, and S. H. Hall The Androgen-Regulated Epididymal Sperm-Binding Protein, Human {beta}-Defensin 118 (DEFB118) (Formerly ESC42), Is an Antimicrobial {beta}-Defensin Endocrinology, July 1, 2004; 145(7): 3165 - 3173. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Bourgeon, B. Evrard, M. Brillard-Bourdet, D. Colleu, B. Jegou, and C. Pineau Involvement of Semenogelin-Derived Peptides in the Antibacterial Activity of Human Seminal Plasma Biol Reprod, March 1, 2004; 70(3): 768 - 774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Legare, N. Verville, and R. Sullivan Vasectomy Influences Expression of HE1 but not HE2 and HE5 Genes in Human Epididymis J Androl, January 1, 2004; 25(1): 30 - 43. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Zanich, J. C. Pascall, and R. Jones Secreted Epididymal Glycoprotein 2D6 That Binds to the Sperm's Plasma Membrane Is a Member of the {beta}-Defensin Superfamily of Pore-Forming Glycopeptides Biol Reprod, December 1, 2003; 69(6): 1831 - 1842. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. I. Yudin, T. L. Tollner, M.-W. Li, C. A. Treece, J. W. Overstreet, and G. N. Cherr ESP13.2, a Member of the {beta}-Defensin Family, Is a Macaque Sperm Surface-Coating Protein Involved in the Capacitation Process Biol Reprod, October 1, 2003; 69(4): 1118 - 1128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
O. Frohlich, N. M. Ibrahim, and L. G. Young EP2 Splicing Variants in Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) Epididymis Biol Reprod, July 1, 2003; 69(1): 294 - 300. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Doiron, C. Legare, F. Saez, and R. Sullivan Effect of Vasectomy on Gene Expression in the Epididymis of Cynomolgus Monkey Biol Reprod, March 1, 2003; 68(3): 781 - 788. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
