title: Cathelicidins in inflammation and tissue repair: Potential therapeutic applications for gastrointestinal disorders.
abstract: Cathelicidins, a family of host defense peptides, are highly expressed during infection, inflammation and wound healing. These peptides not only have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, but also modulate inflammation by altering cytokine response and chemoattraction of inflammatory cells in diseased tissues. In this connection, a mouse cathelicidin has been demonstrated to prevent inflammation in the colon through enhancing mucus production and reducing production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, cathelicidins promote wound healing through stimulation of re-epithelialization and angiogenesis at injured tissues. In an animal model of gastric ulceration, the rat cathelicidin promotes ulcer healing by inducing proliferation of gastric epithelial cells both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, cathelicidins represent an important group of effector molecules in the innate immune system that operates a complex integration of inflammation and tissue repair in the gastrointestinal mucosa and other organs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: William Ka Kei
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Clover Ching Man
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Zhi Jie
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shun Xiang
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Chi Hin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054804:Cathelicidins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D054804:Cathelicidins