Heriberto Lima

Publications of Heriberto Lima

• Reduced Paneth cell alpha-defensins in ileal Crohn's disease.

  Authors: Jan Wehkamp, Nita H Salzman, Edith Porter, Sabine Nuding, Michael Weichenthal, Robert E. Petras, Bo Shen, Elke Schaeffeler, Matthias Schwab, Rose Linzmeier, Ryan W Feathers, Hiutung Chu, Heriberto Lima, Klaus Fellermann, Tomas Ganz, Eduard F Stange, Charles L Bevins

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 01/2006; 102(50):18129-34.

  The pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD), an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease, is attributed, in part, to intestinal bacteria that may initiate and perpetuate mucosal inflammation in geneticallyThe pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD), an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease, is attributed, in part, to intestinal bacteria that may initiate and perpetuate mucosal inflammation in genetically susceptible individuals. Paneth cells (PC) are the major source of antimicrobial peptides in the small intestine, including human alpha-defensins HD5 and HD6. We tested the hypothesis that reduced expression of PC alpha-defensins compromises mucosal host defenses and predisposes patients to CD of the ileum. We report that patients with CD of the ileum have reduced antibacterial activity in their intestinal mucosal extracts. These specimens also showed decreased expression of PC alpha-defensins, whereas the expression of eight other PC products either remained unchanged or increased when compared with controls. The specific decrease of alpha-defensins was independent of the degree of inflammation in the specimens and was not observed in either CD of the colon, ulcerative colitis, or pouchitis. The functional consequence of alpha-defensin expression levels was examined by using a transgenic mouse model, where we found changes in HD5 expression levels, comparable to those observed in CD, had a pronounced impact on the luminal microbiota. Thus, the specific deficiency of PC defensins that characterizes ileal CD may compromise innate immune defenses of the ileal mucosa and initiate and/or perpetuate this disease.

• Distinct defensin profiles in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis urethritis reveal novel epithelial cell-neutrophil interactions.

  Authors: Edith Porter, Huixia Yang, Sujata Yavagal, Gloria C Preza, Omar Murillo, Heriberto Lima, Sheila Greene, Laily Mahoozi, Marcia Klein-Patel, Gill Diamond, Sunita Gulati, Tomas Ganz, Peter A Rice, Alison J Quayle

  Infection and immunity. 08/2005; 73(8):4823-33.

  Defensins are key participants in mucosal innate defense. The varied antimicrobial activity and differential distribution of defensins at mucosal sites indicate that peptide repertoires are tailoredDefensins are key participants in mucosal innate defense. The varied antimicrobial activity and differential distribution of defensins at mucosal sites indicate that peptide repertoires are tailored to site-specific innate defense requirements. Nonetheless, few studies have investigated changes in peptide profiles and function after in vivo pathogen challenge. Here, we determined defensin profiles in urethral secretions of healthy men and men with Chlamydia trachomatis- and Neisseria gonorrhoeae-mediated urethritis by immunoblotting for the epithelial defensins HBD1, HBD2, and HD5 and the neutrophil defensins HNP1 to -3 (HNP1-3). HBD1 was not detectable in secretions, and HBD2 was only induced in a small proportion of the urethritis patients; however, HD5 and HNP1-3 were increased in C. trachomatis infection and significantly elevated in N. gonorrhoeae infection. When HNP1-3 levels were low, HD5 appeared mostly as the propeptide; however, when HNP1-3 levels were >10 microg/ml, HD5 was proteolytically processed, suggesting neutrophil proteases might contribute to HD5 processing. HD5 and HNP1-3 were bactericidal against C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, but HD5 activity was dependent upon N-terminal processing of the peptide. In vitro proteolysis of proHD5 by neutrophil proteases and analysis of urethral secretions by surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization substantiated that neutrophils contribute the key convertases for proHD5 in the urethra during these infections. This contrasts with the small intestine, where Paneth cells secrete both proHD5 and its processing enzyme, trypsin. In conclusion, we describe a unique defensin expression repertoire in response to inflammatory sexually transmitted infections and a novel host defense mechanism wherein epithelial cells collaborate with neutrophils to establish an antimicrobial barrier during infection.