title: Host defense peptides: an alternative as antiinfective and immunomodulatory therapeutics.
abstract: Host defense peptides are conserved components of innate immune response present among all classes of life. These peptides are potent, broad spectrum antimicrobial agents with potential as novel therapeutic compounds. Also, the ability of host defense peptides to modulate immunity is an emerging therapeutic concept since its selective modulation is a novel antiinfective strategy. Their mechanisms of action and the fundamental differences between pathogens and host cells surfaces mostly lead to a not widely extended microbial resistance and to a lower toxicity toward host cells. Biological libraries and rational design are novel tools for developing such molecules with promising applications as therapeutic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Pedro Kourí," La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Annia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alba
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: López-Abarrategui
authors.forename: Anselmo J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Otero-González
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010455:Peptides