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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2014; 20(27): 9128-9137
Published online Jul 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i27.9128
Published online Jul 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i27.9128
Relevance of α-defensins (HNP1-3) and defensin β-1 in diabetes
Balázs Csaba Németh, Ferenc Somogyvári, Yvette Mándi, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
Balázs Csaba Németh, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, United States
Tamás Várkonyi, Csaba Lengyel, Katalin Fehértemplomi, Szabolcs Nyiraty, Péter Kempler, First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Szeged, H6720 Szeged, Hungary
Author contributions: Németh BC performed all laboratory experiments; Várkonyi T designed clinical research and analyzed the clinical data; Somogyvári F designed the genetical experiments; Fehértemplomi K, Lengyel C and Nyiraty S collected all the human material and analyzed the clinical data; Kempler P provided the scientific clinical background; Mándi Y designed and coordinated the study, provided the immunological background, ensured financial support for the research and wrote the manuscript.
Supported by TÁMOP-4.2.2.A-11-1-KONV-2012-0035 Research Grant
Correspondence to: Yvette Mándi, MD, PhD, DSc, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 10, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary. mandi.yvette@med.u-szeged.hu
Telephone: +36-62-545115 Fax: +36-62-545113
Received: December 10, 2013
Revised: February 7, 2014
Accepted: April 8, 2014
Published online: July 21, 2014
Revised: February 7, 2014
Accepted: April 8, 2014
Published online: July 21, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: There is growing evidence of the role of innate immunity in diabetes To our knowledge our data provide the first report on a complex investigation of defensin-α and defensin β-1 in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The main conclusion of our manuscript is, that the elevated HNP1-3 levels in diabetes are independent of the DEFA1/DEFA3 copy numbers, but the GG genotype of C-44G SNP in the DEFB1 gene may result in a decreased level of defensin β-1 production. Our data support the view that both alpha and beta-defensins may have an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications.