Low-molecular-weight HA has also been reported to
increase epithelial defence by inducing b-defensin-2 via
Toll-like receptors (TLR) (Gariboldi et al. 2008). b-Defensins are one of the most common types of antimicrobial peptides participating in the host response against
bacterial infections and are expressed in multiple tissues
in the body, most notably in leucocytes and epithelial
surfaces (Menendez and Brett Finlay 2007). It has also
been reported that treatment for murine skin by the
low-molecular-weight HA induced the release of mouse
b-defensin-2 in all layers of the epidermal compartment
(Gariboldi et al. 2008)