title: The Interplay between Defensins and Microbiota in Crohn's Disease.
abstract: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, characterized by periods of acute recurrence and remission. Depending on the specific region affected, CD is classified as ileal CD or colonic CD. It is largely accepted that the intestinal microbiota is involved in the onset of the pathology. Indeed, a reduced immune tolerance to components of the intestinal commensal microbiota and inflammation of the intestinal barrier typifies patients with CD. Several studies have shown defective expression of intestinal antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in patients with CD compared to controls, particularly defensins. A reduction inα-defensins is observed in ileal CD, whileβ-defensins are increased in colonic CD. In addition to an immunological basis, the disease is frequently associated with genetic alterations including mutations of NOD2 gene. Several therapeutic strategies to circumvent the dysfunction observed in CD are currently under investigation. These include the use of delivery systems to administer endogenous AMPs and the engineering of peptidomimetics that could ameliorate the severity of CD. In this review, the role defensins play in CD and the strategies aimed at overcoming bacterial resistance will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coretti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natale
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuomo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9697-3952
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6097-4171
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiariotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaela
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2182-5530
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D023082:Defensins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007107:Immune System; D007249:Inflammation; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D064307:Microbiota; D023084:alpha-Defensins; D023083:beta-Defensins
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D023082:Defensins; D023084:alpha-Defensins; D023083:beta-Defensins