title: Function and therapeutic potential of host defence peptides.
abstract: Cationic host defence (antimicrobial) peptides are an important component of the innate immune systems of a wide variety of plants, animals, and bacteria. Although most of these compounds have direct antimicrobial activities under specific conditions, a greater appreciation for the diversity of functions of these molecules is beginning to develop in the field. In addition to their directly antimicrobial activities, they also have a broad spectrum of activity on the host immune system, with both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects being invoked. Increasingly sophisticated approaches to understand the role of host defence peptides in modulating innate immunity are already serving to guide the development of novel therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Lower Mall Research Station, University of British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Joseph B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: McPhee
authors.forename: Robert E W
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hancock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002412:Cations; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002412:Cations; D010455:Peptides