Abstract
Cationic host defense peptides are a widely distributed family of immunomodulatory molecules with antimicrobial properties. The biological functions of these peptides include the ability to influence innate and adaptive immunity for efficient resolution of infections and simultaneous modulation of inflammatory responses. This unique dual bioactivity of controlling infections and inflammation has gained substantial attention in the last three decades and consequent interest in the development of these peptide mimics as immunomodulatory therapeutic candidates. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the wide range of functions of cationic host defense peptides in the context of the mammalian immune system.
Highlights
Cationic host defense peptides (CHDPs) are immunomodulatory molecules that have evolved to provide broad range of protection against a variety of pathogenic microbes
In vivo it remains to be determined how this activity changes the kinetics of regulation of consequent inflammation; (ii) CHDPs facilitate the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and mast cell derived extracellular traps (MCETs), which are extracellular DNA networks that can entrap pathogens and facilitate better microbial clearance [46]; (iii) recent studies have demonstrated that CHDPs promote autophagy in macrophages thereby aiding intracellular killing and the clearance of bacterial infections [47,48]
CHDPs are immunomodulatory molecules that play a role in both immune activation and regulation, depending on the cellular microenvironment and exogenous or endogenous stimuli
Summary
Cationic host defense peptides (CHDPs) are immunomodulatory molecules that have evolved to provide broad range of protection against a variety of pathogenic microbes. It has been demonstrated that the direct antimicrobial property of certain CHDPs are often compromised in the presence of physiological salt concentrations and specific host factors [3,4], yet these peptides are essential for the protection against pathogens [5,6] This highlights the role of CHDPs in immunity, which is to enhance microbial clearance and maintain immune homeostasis [7,8]. The sole human cathelicidin is expressed as an 18 kDa precursor pro-protein called hCAP18, which is subsequently cleaved to the well characterized, biologically active, 37 amino acid cationic peptide LL-37 [19]. This can be subsequently cleaved to generate smaller peptides that have been identified from epithelial surfaces [20]. We will focus on the immune functions influenced by mammalian CHDPs
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