Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38376819›Full record

ArticleProbiotics and antimicrobial proteins2025

Bacillus subtilis Induces Human Beta Defensin-2 Through its Lipoproteins in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Yoon Ju So, Ok-Jin Park, Yeongkag Kwon, Jintaek Im, Dongwook Lee, Sung-Ho Yun, Kun Cho, Cheol-Heui Yun, Seung Hyun Han

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yoon Ju SoDepartment of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Ok-Jin ParkDepartment of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Yeongkag KwonDepartment of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Jintaek ImDepartment of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Dongwook LeeDepartment of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Ho YunCenter for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, 28119, Republic of Korea.
Kun ChoCenter for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, 28119, Republic of Korea.
Cheol-Heui YunDepartment of Agricultural Biotechnology, and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Seung Hyun HanDepartment of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. shhan-mi@snu.ac.kr.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) play an important role in maintaining gut homeostasis by producing antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Bacillus subtilis, a commensal bacterium, is considered a probiotic. Although its protective effects on intestinal health are widely reported, the key component of B. subtilis responsible for its beneficial effects remains elusive. In this study, we tried to identify the key molecules responsible for B. subtilis-induced AMPs and their molecular mechanisms in a human IEC line, Caco-2. B. subtilis increased human beta defensin (HBD)-2 mRNA expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Among the B. subtilis microbe-associated molecular patterns, lipoprotein (LPP) substantially increased the mRNA expression and protein production of HBD-2, whereas lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan did not show such effects. Those results were confirmed in primary human IECs. In addition, both LPP recognition and HBD-2 secretion mainly took place on the apical side of fully differentiated and polarized Caco-2 cells through Toll-like receptor 2-mediated JNK/p38 MAP kinase/AP-1 and NF-κB pathways. HBD-2 efficiently inhibited the growth of the intestinal pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. Furthermore, LPPs pre-incubated with lipase or proteinase K decreased LPP-induced HBD-2 expression, suggesting that the lipid and protein moieties of LPP are crucial for HBD-2 expression. Q Exactive Plus mass spectrometry identified 35 B. subtilis LPP candidates within the LPP preparation, and most of them were ABC transporters. Taken together, these results suggest that B. subtilis promotes HBD-2 secretion in human IECs mainly with its LPPs, which might enhance the protection from intestinal pathogens.

Indexed as

Bacillus subtilisbeta-DefensinsEpithelial CellsIntestinal MucosaLipoproteinsCaco-2 CellsHumansProbioticsToll-Like Receptor 2beta-DefensinsDEFB4A protein, humanLipoproteinsTLR2 protein, humanToll-Like Receptor 2Bacillus subtilisHuman beta defensin-2Intestinal epithelial cellLipoprotein

Identifiers

PMID38376819
PMCPMC12055916

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.