Cited by 3,066Antimicrobial Peptides and ActivitiesInvertebrate Immune Response MechanismsImmune Response and Inflammation

Defensins: antimicrobial peptides of innate immunity

Ganz, Tomas·2003·Nature Reviews Immunology

Abstract

The production of natural antibiotic peptides has emerged as an important mechanism of innate immunity in plants and animals. Defensins are diverse members of a large family of antimicrobial peptides, contributing to the antimicrobial action of granulocytes, mucosal host defence in the small intestine and epithelial host defence in the skin and elsewhere. This review, inspired by a spate of recent studies of defensins in human diseases and animal models, focuses on the biological function of defensins.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nri1180

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163 of 163 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • These structurally diverse peptides make multimeric forms during infection and disrupt the membrane of the pathogen.

    “These structurally diverse peptides make multimeric forms during infection and disrupt the membrane of the pathogen (Ganz, 2003).”
  • Many clinical studies have identified positive associations between levels of airway epithelial cell-derived inflammatory mediators and disease severity.

    “Many clinical studies have identified positive associations between levels of airway epithelial cell-derived inflammatory mediators and disease severity.”
  • Dose-related associations were found between several cytokines and chemokines (including IL-8/CXLC8, MIP-1α/CCL3, MCP-1/CCL2, and the IL-6/TNF-α ratio) in respiratory secretions and the severity of RSV bronchiolitis.

    “For instance, dose-related associations were found between several cytokines and chemokines (including IL-8/CXLC8, MIP-1α/CCL3, MCP-1/CCL2, and the IL-6/TNF-α ratio) in respiratory secretions and the severity of RSV bronchiolitis (76, 114, 271)”
  • The associations between inflammatory mediators and RSV bronchiolitis severity suggest a relationship between overly aggressive innate immune responses and disease following infection.

    “suggesting a relationship between overly aggressive innate immune responses and disease following infection.”

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Authors
Ganz, T.
Affiliations
University of California, Los Angeles (US)
Corresponding author
Ganz, Tomas
Venue
Nature Reviews Immunology
Published
2003-09
Volume
3
Issue
9
Pages
710-720
ISSN
  • 1474-1733 (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-1741
OpenAlex
W2057198053
Cited by
3,066
References
163
Citations by year
2026: 79 · 2025: 97 · 2024: 112 · 2023: 111 · 2022: 138 · 2021: 126 · 2020: 145 · 2019: 147 · 2018: 157 · 2017: 133 · 2016: 139 · 2015: 150 · 2014: 161 · 2013: 170 · 2012: 165
FWCI
12.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature reviews. Immunology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Response and Inflammation
Keywords
defensins, antimicrobial peptides, innate immunity, granulocytes, mucosal immunity, small intestine, natural antibiotics, human disease
MeSH terms
Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Models, Molecular, Molecular Sequence Data, Salmonella, Salmonella Infections, Sequence Alignment, Defensins

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