The only human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, playing key roles in innate immune defense, wound healing, and modulation of inflammatory responses.
The pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis is still under discussion. Although it is widely accepted that environmental factors and a genetic predisposition are essential, the role of the innate and adaptive immune system and the functional cascade of…
Cationic host defense peptides are key, evolutionarily conserved components of the innate immune system. The human cathelicidin LL-37 is an important cationic host defense peptide up-regulated in infection and inflammation, specifically in the human…
Macrolide resistance is a major concern in the treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Inducible macrolide resistance in this pneumococcus is mediated by the efflux pump MefE/Mel. We show here that the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 induces the mef…
Skin wounds usually heal without major infections, although the loss of the mechanical epithelial barrier exposes the tissue to various bacteria. One reason may be the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) of which some [human beta-defensins (hB…
Purpose. Patients with diabetes are at higher risk for delayed corneal reepithelialization and infection. Previous studies indicated that high glucose (HG) impairs epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and attenuates ex vivo corneal epith…
The cathelicidin derived human peptide LL37 has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. The large variety of biological activities makes LL37 a very promising candidate for clinical applications. The production of biologica…
BACKGROUND: The amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) is believed to be the key mediator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Abeta is most often characterized as an incidental catabolic byproduct that lacks a normal physiological role. However, Abeta has b…
Host defence peptides (HDPs) are considered to be excellent candidates for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Recently, it was demonstrated that the peptide C1-15, an N-terminal segment of chicken HDP cathelicidin-2, exhibits potent antibac…
In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of eight antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), comprising four human beta-defensins (HBDs), three human neutrophil defensins (HNPs) and the cathelicidin LL-37, against two representative periodontopa…
TLRs are required for generation of protective lung mucosal immune responses against microbial pathogens. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the TLR5 ligand flagellin on stimulation of antibacterial mucosal immunity in a lethal murine Pseudomo…
In human monocytes, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/1 activation leads to vitamin D3-dependent antimycobacterial activities, but the molecular mechanisms by which TLR2/1 stimulation induces antimicrobial activities against mycobacteria remain unclear. Her…
In the preantibiotic era, TB of the skin was treated successfully with UV light. By the 1920s, pulmonary TB was being treated with regular sun exposure. During the last decade, basic laboratory research into the antimicrobial actions of vitamin D has…
Worldwide bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics has drawn much research attention to naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) owing to their potential as alternative antimicrobials. Structural studies of AMPs are essential for an i…
BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests cathelicidin LL-37 to be a growth factor for various human cancers such as lung cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. However, the effect of LL-37 against malignant skin cancer has not been reported. OBJECTIVE…
BACKGROUND: Vitamin D insufficiency is common in industrialized and developing nations. Recent studies have shown that vitamin D insufficiency is associated with a higher risk of active tuberculosis. Laboratory studies provided a mechanism for this l…
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are specialized type I interferon (IFN-α/β)-producing cells that express intracellular toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 and recognize viral nucleic acids in the context of infections. We show that pDCs also have…
There is mounting evidence that periodontal disease (PD) is linked to low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in addition to recognized risk factors like diet and smoking. This paper reviews this evidence using Hill's criteria for caus…
The increasing number of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria has spurred efforts to develop new therapeutic strategies. When applied locally, exogenous antibiotics work in an environment rich in endogenous antibacterial molecules such as the…
Antimicrobial peptides have activity against a wide variety of biological membranes and are an important component of innate immunity in vertebrate as well as invertebrate systems. The mechanisms of action of these peptides are incompletely understoo…
Mast cells are emerging as contributors to innate immunity. Mouse mast cells have a pivotal role in protection against bacterial infection, and human cord blood-derived mast cells reduce bacterial viability in culture. The objectives of this study we…