ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: The present work was AIMED on the study of human beta-defensin 3 (hBD-3) gene expression in A431 cell line and human vulval tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty surgical specimens of both malignant and conventionally normal human vulval tissues have been analyzed for the presence of hBD-3 mRNA by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In vitro experiments have been carried out on A431 cells. RESULTS: It has been shown that hBD-3 gene expression in A431 cells was induced upon EGF stimulation. In human vulval tissues, in 8 cases the expression of hBD-3 gene was registered only in tumor tissue and was absent in paired controls, and 7 cases were characterized by significant increase of hBD-3 gene expression in malignant transformed epithelium in comparison with normal ones. Remaining surgical specimens showed either equal levels of hBD-3 expression or even moderate elevation of hBD-3 expression in normal tissue. In 2 specimens of tumor tissue hBD-3 mRNA was not observed. CONCLUSION: In human vulval epithelium, the increase in hBD-3 mRNA expression was predominantly associated with malignant phenotype.
