Epidermal Growth Factor Relieves Inflammatory Signals in Staphylococcus aureus-Treated Human Epidermal Keratinocytes and Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in Nc/Nga Mice

Figure 3

Recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) increased heat-killed S. aureus- (HKSA-) induced hBD-2 expression but did not increase LL37 gene expression. (a) 10 ng/mL of rhEGF did not induce hBD-2 or LL37 mRNA expression. However, HKSA with a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 (10 MOI HKSA) increased hBD-2 and LL37 mRNA expression. Interestingly, rhEGF and HKSA cotreatment further induced hBD-2 mRNA expression but did not increase LL37 mRNA expression. (b) 10 MOI HKSA induced hBD-2 protein expression. The increase of hBD-2 protein expression was downregulated by 10 ng/mL of rhEGF. The results are presented as the mean ± STDEV, representative of three separate experiments. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences ( < 0.05, < 0.01).

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