Cathelicidins, essential gene-encoded mammalian antibiotics

Cathelicidins are a class of gene-encoded antibiotics found exclusively in mammals. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate they are effector molecules of mammalian innate immunity that can provide a first line of defense against an array of micro-organisms. Additional functions are described for some...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2002-09, Vol.80 (9), p.549-561
Main Authors: ZAIOU, Mohamed, GALLO, Richard L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry
Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - chemistry
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - genetics
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - metabolism
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - pharmacology
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Bactericidal Activity
Conserved Sequence
Gene Expression Regulation
Genes, Essential
Humans
Immunity, Innate - genetics
Life Sciences
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous. Antibiotics with multiple activities
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Phylogeny
Protein Precursors - chemistry
Protein Precursors - genetics
Protein Precursors - metabolism
Species Specificity
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Cathelicidins are a class of gene-encoded antibiotics found exclusively in mammals. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate they are effector molecules of mammalian innate immunity that can provide a first line of defense against an array of micro-organisms. Additional functions are described for some members of this class of antimicrobial peptides including chemotactic activity, mitogenesis, and angiogenesis. Therefore these peptides are considered to be multifunctional effector molecules. This review discusses recent progress in cathelicidin research and the functional properties of cathelicidins. Current work in this field suggests that understanding this component of the mammalian innate immune system and related natural antibiotic peptides offer an opportunity for the development of novel therapeutic agents with which to battle the continued problem of antimicrobial resistance.
ISSN:0946-2716
1432-1440
DOI:10.1007/s00109-002-0350-6