rat urinary bladder tissue

Human α-defensin 5 is an orally active antimicrobial peptide with diverse biological activities including antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic effects. Human α-defensin 5 kills UPEC, inhibits bacterial biofilm formation, and disrupts bacterial outer membrane integrity. Human α-defensin 5 is hijacked by Shigella flexneri, enhancing Shigella adhesion, aggregation, and invasion of host epithelial cells, and aggravating histopathological damage in corneal and colonic tissues as well as fever. Human α-defensin 5 inhibits LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production and NF-κB signaling pathway activation, upregulates the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin, and maintains intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. Human α-defensin 5 inhibits various non-enveloped viruses and exhibits killing activity against Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. Human α-defensin 5 reduces UPEC bacterial load in the bladder and urine and alleviates inflammatory damage in a rat catheter-associated urinary tract infection model. Human α-defensin 5 can be used in research related to bacterial infections, viral infections, parasitic infections, and inflammatory bowel disease .