Immunomodulation by duck defensin, Apl_AvBD2: In vitro dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) mRNA suppression, and B- and T-lymphocyte chemotaxis

The present study analyzed the immunomodulatory potential of a newly identified duck β-defensin, Apl_AvBD2. Recombinant Apl_AvBD2 expressed in HEK293T cells induced a concentration dependent in vitro migration of duck splenocytes, and spleen B- and T-lymphocytes, which was specifically inhibited by anti-Apl_AvBD2 polyclonal antibodies. Among the transcripts of 13 immunologically important genes analyzed in cultured splenocytes for the early immunomodulatory effect of Apl_AvBD2, dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) mRNA was found to be significantly down-regulated. However, there were no major changes in the expression levels of transcripts for cell surface proteins (MHC I, MHC II 2 β-chain, TCR-β, TLR-7, DCAR, CD44, and CD58) and cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, RANTES, MIP-1β-like and MCP-1 like chemokines). Our results reveal chemotactic and immunomodulatory properties of Apl_AvBD2, two important functions that would help in employing this protein as a molecular adjuvant with avian vaccines.