Currently, Acinetobacter baumannii is recognized as one of the major pathogens seriously threatening our health care delivery system. Aspects of the innate immune response to A. baumannii infection are not yet well understood. Human β-defensins (hBDs) are epithelial cell-derived cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that also function to bridge the innate and adaptive immune system. We tested the induction of hBD-2 and -3 by A. baumannii on primary oral and skin epithelial cells and found that A. baumannii induces hBD-3 transcripts to a greater extent than it induces hBD-2 transcripts on both types of cells. In addition, we found that A. baumannii is susceptible to hBD-2 and -3 killing at submicromolar concentrations. Moreover, hBD-3 induction by A. baumannii was found to be dependent on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase resulted in reduced expression of both hBD-2 and -3. Lastly, a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17; also known as TACE) was found to be critical for hBD-3 induction, while ADAM10 and dual oxidase 1 (Duox1) were not required for hBD-3 induction. Induction of AMPs is an important component of innate sensing of pathogens and may play an important role in triggering systemic immune responses to A. baumannii infection. Further studies on the interactions between epithelial cells and A. baumannii will help us understand early stages of infection and may shed light on why some individuals are more vulnerable to A. baumannii infection.
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