{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n β‐defensin 131A (DEFB131A) functions as an antimicrobial peptide and immunomodulatory factor in epithelial cells. In prostate epithelial cells, for example, exposure to gram‐positive bacterial components such as lipoteichoic acid activates the TLR2 receptor, which in turn triggers the p38MAPK/NF‐κB signaling cascade. Activated NF‐κB directly binds to the DEFB131A promoter and induces its expression, leading to enhanced production and secretion of several proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐12α) and chemokines (CCL20, CCL22, and CXCL8) that collectively aid in recruiting monocytes and amplifying the innate immune response."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Beyond its antimicrobial action, emerging studies on host defense peptides suggest that modulation of endogenous peptides like DEFB131A—potentially through dietary or probiotic interventions—can bolster epithelial barrier integrity and overall innate immunity."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " While other research has focused on different molecular mechanisms in related disease contexts—such as the role of CK2 in impairing the proapoptotic functions of Par‐4 in prostate cancer"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "and the contribution of copy number variants to type 2 diabetes–associated end‐stage renal disease"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "—the regulation and immune‐activating properties of DEFB131A underscore its importance as a first-line defense molecule during bacterial infection.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jung Hoon Kim, Kyeoung-Hwa Kim, Hae Jong Kim, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Expression of Beta-Defensin 131 Promotes an Innate Immune Response in Human Prostate Epithelial Cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "PLoS One (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1371/journal.pone.0144776"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144776"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26649771"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26649771"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jing Wang, Wei Zhang, Sixin Wang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Swine-Derived Probiotic "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "i"}], "href": "i"}, {"type": "t", "text": "Lactobacillus plantarum"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "/i"}], "href": "/i"}, {"type": "t", "text": " Modulates Porcine Intestinal Endogenous Host Defense Peptide Synthesis Through TLR2/MAPK/AP-1 Signaling Pathway."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Front Immunol (2019)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3389/fimmu.2019.02691"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02691"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "31803195"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31803195"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "A de Thonel, A Hazoumé, V Kochin, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Regulation of the proapoptotic functions of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) by casein kinase 2 in prostate cancer cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Death Dis (2014)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/cddis.2013.532"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/cddis.2013.532"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24457960"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24457960"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jessica N Cooke Bailey, Lingyi Lu, Jeff W Chou, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The Role of Copy Number Variation in African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes-Associated End Stage Renal Disease."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Mol Genet Med (2013)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.4172/1747-0862.1000061"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.4172/1747-0862.1000061"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24707315"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24707315"}]}]}]}