Mouse β-Defensin 14 (Defb14) Promotes Tumor Growth by Inducing Angiogenesis in a CCR6-Dependent Manner

beta-defensins are known for their antimicrobial activity and belong to the molecular barrier of the innate immune system against invading pathogens. In addition, it has been shown that some members of the beta-defensin superfamily have the capacity to promote local innate inflammatory and systemic adaptive immune responses, mediated in part by the interaction with CCR6. We found that mouse beta-defensin 14 (mBD14, Defb14), a newly identified member of the mouse beta-defensin superfamily, is expressed in mouse fibrosarcoma tumor tissue. Tumor cells overexpressing mBD14 demonstrated enhanced solid tumor growth in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice concomitant with increased vascularization of these tumors. Furthermore, mBD14-overexpressing tumors demonstrated increased expression of proangiogenic MIP-2 (CXCL2) ex vivo. In contrast, vascular endothelial growth factor expression was not affected. Cellular analysis of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes revealed a significant increase of CCR6(+) B220(+) lymphocytes in solid tumors derived from mBD14-overexpressing tumor cells. Enhanced tumor growth of mBD14-overexpressing fibrosarcomas was abolished in CCR6-deficient mice, which was paralleled by decreased infiltration of CCR6(+) B220(+) lymphocytes, indicating the requirement of CCR6 expression on host cells. Previously, the interaction of activated, LT alpha beta(+), lymphocytes with lymphotoxin beta-receptor- expressing fibrosarcoma tumor cells has been identified as a new CXCL2-dependent proangiogenic pathway. Co-expression of a soluble lymphotoxin beta-receptor:Ig fusion protein, an inhibitor of CXCL2-dependent angiogenesis, in mBD14-overexpressing fibrosarcoma tumor cells abolished enhanced solid tumor growth. Thus, we conclude that mBD14 expression by tumor-infiltrating host cells results in the chemoattraction of CCR6(+) B220(+) lymphocytes, which in turn initiates a proangiogenic pathway leading to enhanced angiogenesis and organized tumor tissue development. The Journal of Immunology, 2012, 188: 4931-4939.