Immunomodulation by chicken NK-Lysin-derived peptide, cNK-2 on chicken macrophages and monocytes

Authors: KIM, WOOHYUN - Gyeongsang National University; Lillehoj, Hyun; MIN, WONGI - Gyeongsang National University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Chicken NK-lysin (cNK-lysin) is a homologue of human granulysin. Human granulysin is found in the cytolytic granules located in human natural killer and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. We previously demonstrated that cNK-lysin and cNK-2, a synthetic peptide incorporating the core a-helical region of cNK-lysin, have antimicrobial activity against apicomplexan parasites such as Eimeria spp., via membrane disruption. Besides of antimicrobial property of antimicrobial peptides, the immunomodulatory activity of antimicrobial peptides mediated by their interactions with host cells is increasingly recognized. Thus, in this study, we investigated whether cNK-2 modulates the immune response in the chicken macrophages and monocytes by evaluating the induction of chemokines, anti-inflammatory properties, and activation of signaling pathways. cNK-2 induced the expression of CCL4, CCL5 and interleukin-1ß in HD11 cells, chicken macrophage cell line, and CCL4 and CCL5 in primary monocytes. We also determined that cNK-2 suppresses the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response by abrogating interleukin-1ß expression. The immunomodulatory activity of cNK-2 involves the mitogen-activated protein kinases-mediated signaling pathway, including p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinases, as well as the internalization of cNK-2 into the cells. These results indicate that cNK-2 is a potential novel immunomodulating agent rather than an antimicrobial agent.