Defensins and Other Antimicrobial Peptides: Innate Defense of Mucosal Surfaces

TL;DRAbstract

This chapter provides an in-depth account of defensins, and ties together the roles of other antimicrobial peptides and proteins that together contribute to mucosal innate host defense. While the focus is on defensins and antimicrobial peptides from humans, peptides from other species are also included where appropriate. The structural and functional relationships between these three classes of alpha-defensins, beta-defensins, theta-defensins are discussed in this chapter. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the resulting retrocyclin were modest and were similar to those of synthetic and native rhesus theta-defensins. The noticeable salt sensitivity of ELR- CXC chemokines was similar to that of defensins and many other antimicrobial peptides. High concentrations of alpha-defensins are frequently observed in chronically inflamed tissues. Certain factors within airway fluid, including electrolytes and anionic macromolecules, decrease the activity of many antimicrobial peptides

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