15038 studies
The ability of the ocular surface to respond to pathogens is in part attributed to toll-like receptors (TLRs) that recognize conserved motifs on various microbes. This study examines TLR expression on various ocular surface cells, if TLR agonists can…
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effector molecules that are able to kill or inactivate microbial pathogens. However, most AMPs harbor multiple basic amino acids that hamper current proteomic identification. In our peptidomic survey of endogenous pe…
OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have showed that genetic factors involved in the host responses might determine the severity of periodontitis. hCAP-18/LL-37 is a part of the innate immune response in the oral cavity. The aim of the present study was to inv…
The pathogenesis of periodontitis involves the interplay of microbiota present in the subgingival plaque and the host responses. Inflammation and destruction of periodontal tissues are considered to result from the response of a susceptible host to a…
Antimicrobial peptide IG-25 (a truncated version of LL-37 of the cathelicidin family) tethering an azido-capped poly(ethylene glycol) chain at the N-terminus was site-specifically attached to alkynyl-terminated polymerized liposomes using copper cata…
Vitamin D has long been recognized as essential to the skeletal system. Newer evidence suggests that it also plays a major role regulating the immune system, perhaps including immune responses to viral infection. Interventional and observational epid…
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D regulates the production of the antimicrobial peptides cathelicidin and beta-defensin-2, which play an important role in the innate immune response to infection. We hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency would be a…
Genital tract infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis serovars D to K occur at high incidence in many areas of the world. Despite high rates of coinfection with these pathogens, investigations of host-parasite interaction…
The aim of the present study was to examine whether amount of oral antimicrobial components, human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), cathelicidin (LL-37), and immunoglobulin A (IgA), might be affected by prolonged strenuous exercise. Ten young male volunteers ei…
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health problem and often coincides with nutritional deficiency. In fact, vitamin D deficiency has been reported among TB patients, and vitamin D receptor polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to Mycobact…
The external auditory canal is vulnerable to bacterial infections, but little is known about thechemical compositions of ear wax regarding antimicrobial peptides. We, therefore, studied the proteinconcentrations of ten well-known human antimicrobial…
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that the scavenger receptor MARCO (macrophage receptor with collagenous structure) mediates activation of the immune response in bacterial infection of the central nervous system (CNS). The chemotactic G-prot…
In humans, the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) are important proinflammatory mediators, whereas lipoxin A(4) (LXA(4)) and resolvin E1 (RvE1) possess anti-inflammatory, proresolving properties. Previously, we reported that LT…
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate whether flagellin, the sole ligand of Toll-like receptor-5 (TLR5), induces an innate defense that is sufficient to protect injured corneas from Candida albicans. METHODS: Scarified corneas of adult B6,…
Recent papers highlight the role of dysregulated expression of antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Etanercept, a blocker of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), is effective in the t…
OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D deficiency remains a poorly recognized pandemic and is closely linked to increased health care costs in veterans. Projected health care needs in veterans are expected to increase over the next decade. Intensive care unit (ICU) co…
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The antimicrobial peptide LL-37, derived from human neutrophils, can directly chemoattract leukocytes and up-regulate the expression of several immune-related genes in various cell types. In this study, we wanted to determin…
BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a common disfiguring skin disease of primarily Caucasians characterized by central erythema of the face, with telangiectatic blood vessels, papules and pustules, and can produce skin thickening, especially on the nose of men, c…
BACKGROUND: Pathogenic bacteria colonize the airways of 30% to 40% of patients with COPD and cause approximately 50% of exacerbations. New strains of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) and Moraxella catarrhalis are associated with exacerbation…