β-defensin 2 as an adjuvant promotes anti-melanoma immune responses and inhibits the growth of implanted murine melanoma in vivo.

β-defensin 2 is a small antimicrobial peptide of the innate immune system and has been thought to regulate anti-tumor immunity. However, little is known on whether β-defensin 2 could modulate melanoma-specific NK and T cell responses. In this study, we first cloned the murine β-defensin 2 gene by RT-PCR and generated the β-defensin 2 stably expressing B16 cells (B16-mBD2).

Apoptosis-inducing activity of the antimicrobial peptide cecropin of Musca domestica in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7402 and the possible mechanism.

We studied the apoptosis-inducing properties of the antimicrobial peptide cecropin of Musca domestica in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7402 and its underlying mechanism. Proliferation inhibition of the human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells and the human normal liver cells were determined by the MTT assay, and the cell viability was determined by trypan blue dye exclusion assay. The apoptotic tumor cells treated with cecropin were examined by transmission electron microscopy and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling.

Expression pattern of antibacterial genes in the Musca domestica.

This work studied the transcriptional patterns of three antibacterial genes, attacin, defensin and cecropin, during the development of Musca domestica. Quantitative analysis by real-time PCR was performed on mRNA levels in different development stages and challenged 3rd-instar larva at different time points after challenge of Musca domestica. The results revealed a predominance of the transcripts of all three genes during the 3rd-instar larvae and the adults.

[Determination of istanbulin A in Sarcandra glabra].

Objective: To determine istanbulin A in Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai.

Methods: An RP-HPLC method was established and an hypersil ODS C18 column (4.