Participation of mammalian defensins and cathelicidins in anti-microbial immunity: receptors and activities of human defensins and cathelicidin (LL-37)

Defensins and cathelicidins are the two major families of mammalian anti-microbial proteins. They contribute to host, innate, anti-microbial defense by disrupting the integrity of the bacterial cell membrane. However, several members of the mammalian anti-microbial proteins including defensins and cathelicidins have been shown recently to have chemotactic effects on host cells. Human neutrophil α-defensins are chemotactic for resting, naïve...