Comparative studies on the extracellular release and biological activity of guinea pig neutrophil cationic antibacterial polypeptide of 11 kDa (CAP11) and defensins.

Neutrophils contain various antibacterial polypeptides and proteins in the granules. Defensins have been known as the major antimicrobial granular components. Recently, we have purified a novel cationic antibacterial polypeptide of 11 kDa (CAP11) from guinea pig neutrophil granules. In this study, we have examined the extracellular release and biological activity of CAP11, and compared with defensins. CAP11 was extracellularly released from neutrophils by N-formyl Met-Leu-Phe, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, accompanied by the release of lysozyme, a specific and azurophil granule component, without release of beta-glucuronidase, an azurophil granule component, whereas defensins were released by phagocytosis, accompanied by the release of beta-glucuronidase, suggesting that the localization of CAP11 and defensins is different among neutrophil granules. Defensins increased neutrophil adhesion, and inhibited phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan particles and phagocytosis-associated superoxide anion generation. In contrast, CAP11 did not affect these neutrophil functions. Both CAP11 and defensins possessed the histamine-releasing activities for mast cells, but CAP11 was 10-fold less potent than defensins. CAP11 and defensins showed the antibacterial activities against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. However, the antibacterial activity of defensins was completely lost in the presence of physiological concentration of NaCl (0.15 M), although CAP11 retained the antibacterial activity even in the presence of NaCl. Furthermore, CAP11 exhibited the 10-fold more potent antiretroviral activity than defensins against Moloney murine leukemia viruses. Together these observations indicate that when released from neutrophils, CAP11 likely functions as an antimicrobial molecule in the extracellular milieu, whereas defensins may participate in the modulation of neutrophil function and mast cell histamine release.