Four Reasons to Consider a Novel Class of Innate Immune Molecules in the Oral Epithelium

• Published in: Journal of dental research Vol. 82; no. 12; pp. 944 - 950
• Main Author: LeClair, E.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SAGE Publications 01.12.2003; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Blood Bactericidal Activity - immunology; Blood Proteins - immunology; Dentistry; Epithelium - immunology; Glycoproteins - immunology; Gram-Negative Bacteria - immunology; Humans; Immunity, Innate - immunology; Leucine Zippers - immunology; Membrane Proteins - immunology; Mouth Mucosa - immunology; Phosphoproteins - immunology; lipopolysaccharide (LPS); lipid binding protein (LBP); host defense; nasal epithelium clone (PLUNC); parotid secretory protein (PSP); von Ebner minor salivary gland protein (VEMSGP); lung; innate immunity; permeability-increasing protein (BPI); bactericidal; sepsis; endotoxin; palate
• ISSN: 0022-0345; 1544-0591
• DOI: 10.1177/154405910308201202

An expanding number of innate immune molecules occupy the “epithelial frontier”. This review introduces a recently recognized class of mammalian proteins with similarity to PLUNC (palate, lung and nasal epithelium clone), which is itself related to the host defense protein BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein). Four emerging lines of evidence unite the PLUNC-like proteins: conserved genetic structure, epithelial expression, three-dimensional protein similarity, and a physiological response to injury or inflammation. By analogy to known proteins of the innate immune system, an emerging hypothesis for this family is that they act as sensors of Gram-negative bacteria in the oral cavity, among other areas.