Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) mucosal antimicrobial peptides are close homologues of human molecules

One component of host defense at mucosal surfaces appears to be epithelium derived antimicrobial peptides. Molecules of the defensin and cathelicidin families have been studied in several species, including human and mouse. W e describe in this report the identification and characterization of rhesus monkey homologues of human mucosal antimicrobial peptides. Using reverse t ranscriptase PCR methodology, we cloned the cDNAs of rhesus monkey beta -de fensin 1 and 2 (rhBD-1 and rhBD-2) and rhesus monkey LL-37/CAP-18 (rhLL-37/ rhCAP-18). The predicted amino acid sequences showed a high degree of homo logy to the human molecules. The expression of the monkey antimicrobial pep tides was analyzed using immunohistochemistry with three polyclonal antibod ies to the human molecules. As in humans, rhesus monkey antimicrobial pepti des are expressed in epithelia of various organs, The present study demonst rates that beta- defensins and cathelicidins of rhesus monkeys are close ho mologues to the human molecules and indicate that nonhuman primates represe nt valid model organisms to study innate immune functions.