title: Potential therapeutic application of host defense peptides.
abstract: Host defense peptides (HDPs) are relatively small, mostly cationic, amphipathic, and of variable length, sequence, and structure. The majority of these peptides exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and often activity against viruses and some cancer cell lines. In addition, HDPs also provide a range of immunomodulatory activities related to innate immunity defense, inflammation, and wound healing. The development of these multi-faceted molecules and their bioactivities into clinically important therapeutics is being pursued using a number of different approaches. Here we review the role of HDPs in nature and application of this role to the development of novel therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Helix Biomedix Inc., Bothell, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Falla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors