β-Defensin 2 ELISA

The ß-defensins are an integral part of the congenital immune system and contribute
with their antimicrobial effect to the barrier function of intestinal epithelial cells.
Defensins exert a variable degree of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi,
and some enveloped viruses. Vertebrate defensins are classified as alpha- or betadefensins,
based on their pattern of disulfide bridges. Nine human defensins of epithelial
origin have been found, three of them being ß-defensins (HBD-1, -2 and -3).
The expression of ß-defensins is induced by the pro-inflammatory cytokines and also
through microorganisms (e.g. E. coli, H. pylori or P. aeruginosa).
A ß-defensin-2 deficiency can, for example, be observed in the intestinal mucous of
patients with Crohn’s disease. The defense system of the mucous membrane is therefore
restricted and allows an increased invasion of bacteria, which could possibly
lead to a typical infection in Crohn’s disease patients.
Whether the ß-defensin-2 deficiency could even play a role in the development of
Crohn’s disease is currently being researched. As is the possibility that it is the probiotic
bacterium, which produces ß-defensin.