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Helping the Host: Induction of Antimicrobial Peptides as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy Against Infections

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Antimicrobial Peptides and Innate Immunity

Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research ((PIR))

Abstract

Endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are gene encoded and can be considered as our own antibiotics. These peptides represent an ancient system since they are widespread in nature and have been identified in invertebrates, vertebrates, mammals and also in plants. Defensins and cathelicidins are the main families of AMPs in mammals including humans. From an evolutionary point of view, AMPs have coevolved with microbes in specific niches and constitute an important parameter in host–microbe interactions. The development of bacterial resistance against classical antibiotics is a growing problem, and novel antimicrobial strategies are urgently needed. Here, we present a concept based on the idea of inducing endogenous AMP expression by small compounds, such as vitamin D and butyrate. The induction of multiple AMPs with different mechanisms of action would minimize the risk of bacterial resistance. Thus, such inducing compounds may open new avenues for pharmaceutical intervention in the treatment or prevention of infections. Additional novel targets for medical treatment may be identified by dissecting signaling pathways and regulatory circuits for induced expression of AMPs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors’ research is supported by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, the Torsten and Ragnar Söderbergs Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Swedish Cancer Society and Karolinska Institutet, the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS) and University of Iceland, and the Foundations of Magnus Bergwall, Åke Wiberg, and DA Hagelén.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden

    Birgitta Agerberth

  2. Department of Medicine, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Peter Bergman

  3. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Peter Bergman

  4. Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Gudmundur H. Gudmundsson

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  1. Birgitta Agerberth
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  2. Peter Bergman
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  3. Gudmundur H. Gudmundsson
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Correspondence to Birgitta Agerberth .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, 2300 RC, Netherlands

    Pieter S. Hiemstra

  2. Ctr for Infection & Immun. Amsterdam, Dept. Medical Microbiology, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Netherlands

    Sebastian A. J. Zaat

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Agerberth, B., Bergman, P., Gudmundsson, G.H. (2013). Helping the Host: Induction of Antimicrobial Peptides as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy Against Infections. In: Hiemstra, P., Zaat, S. (eds) Antimicrobial Peptides and Innate Immunity. Progress in Inflammation Research. Springer, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-0541-4_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-0541-4_14

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