中国生物工程杂志

Cationic antimicrobial peptides are produced by all organisms, from plants and insects to human beings, as a major part of their immediately effective, nonspecific defences against infections. Although many demonstrate direct antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, eukaryotic parasites and/or viruses, it has been established that antimicrobial peptides have a key modulatory role in the interface of innate and adaptive immunity. More recent evidence suggests that antimicrobial peptides are effective adjuvants, are synergistic with other immune effectors, initiate the adaptive response, support wound healing, induce or modulate of chemokine and cytokine production, alterate of gene expression in host cells, and inhibit of proinflammatory responses of host cells.In addition, the mechanisms of action are being unraveled, which support more effective implementation of derivatives of these endogenous peptides as therapeutic agents in overcoming infectious diseases.