β-Defensin-2 is a peptide with antimicrobial properties that protects the skin and mucosal membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts.1It inhibits the growth of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria, includingP. gingivalisandS. salivarius.2β-Defensin-2 (30 μg/ml) stimulates gene expression and production of IL-6, IL-10, CXCL10, CCL2, MIP-3α, and RANTES by keratinocytes.3It also stimulates calcium mobilization, migration, and proliferation of keratinocytes when used at concentrations of 30, 10, and 40 μg/ml, respectively. β-Defensin-2 induces IL-31 production by human peripheral blood-derived mast cellsin vitrowhen used at a concentration of 10 μg/ml and by rat mast cellsin vivofollowing a 500 ng intradermal dose.4Expression of β-defensin-2 is increased in psoriatic skin and chronic wounds.5,6 1.Lehrer, R.I.Primate defensinsNat. Rev. Microbiol.2(9)727-738(2004) 2.Ouhara, K., Komatsuzawa, H., Yamada, S., et al.Susceptibilities of periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria to antibacterial peptides, β-defensins and LL37, produced by human epithelial cellsJ. Antimicrob. Chemother.55(6)888-896(2005) 3.Niyonsaba, F., Ushio, H., Nakano, N., et al.Antimicrobial peptides human β-defensins stimulate epidermal keratinocyte migration, proliferation and production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokinesJ. Invest. Dermatol.127(3)594-604(2007) 4.Niyonsaba, F., Ushio, H., Hara, M., et al.Antimicrobial peptides human β-defensins and cathelicidin LL-37 induce the secretion of a pruritogenic cytokine IL-31 by human mast cellsJ. Immunol.184(7)3526-3534(2010) 5.Huh, W.-K., Oono, T., Shirafuji, Y., et al.Dynamic alteration of human β-defensin 2 localization from cytoplasm to intercellular space in psoriatic skinJ. Mol. Med. (Berl.)80(10)678-684(2002) 6.Butmarc, J., Yufit, T., Carson, P., et al.Human β-defensin-2 expression is increased in chronic woundsWound Repair Regen.12(4)439-443(2004)
β-Defensin-3 is a peptide with antimicrobial properties that protects the skin and mucosal membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts. It inhibits the growth of the periodontopathogenic and cariogenic bacteria F. nucleatum, S. mutans, S. sobrinus, S. salivarius, and L. casei (MICs = 12.5-100 mg/l). It also inhibits the growth of S. aureus, S. pyogenes, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and C. albicans. β-Defensin-3 stimulates gene expression and production of IL-6, IL-10, CXCL10, CCL2, MIP-3α, and RANTES by keratinocytes when used at a concentration of 30 μg/ml. It also stimulates calcium mobilization, migration, and proliferation of keratinocytes when used at concentrations of 30, 5, and 20 μg/ml, respectively. β-Defensin-3 induces IL-31 production by human peripheral blood-derived mast cells in vitro when used at a concentration of 10 μg/ml and by rat mast cells in vivo following a 500 ng intradermal dose.
β-Defensin-4 is a peptide with antimicrobial properties that protects the skin and mucosal membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts. It induces migration of monocytes in vitro when used at a concentration of 10 nM but does not affect migration of neutrophils and eosinophils. β-Defensin-4 (30 μg/ml) stimulates gene expression and production of IL-6, IL-10, CXCL10, CCL2, MIP-3α, and RANTES by keratinocytes. It also stimulates calcium mobilization, migration, and proliferation of keratinocytes when used at concentrations of 30, 10, and 40 μg/ml, respectively. β-Defensin-4 induces IL-31 production by human peripheral blood-derived mast cells in vitro when used at a concentration of 10 μg/ml and by rat mast cells in vivo following a 500 ng intradermal dose. It also inhibits growth of E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus with lethal concentration (LC) values of 5, 12, and 15 μM, respectively, of S. carnosus (MIC = 4.5 μg/ml), and of C. albicans with a minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) value of 7.5 μM.
PMX-205 is a cyclic hexapeptide that acts as a potent antagonist of C5a receptor (C5aR; IC50= 31 nM).1It is orally active and blocks inflammatory signaling and symptoms in animal models of colitis and allergic asthma.2,3PMX-205 is also brain penetrant and reduces neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease.4 1.March, D.R., Proctor, L.M., Stoermer, M.J., et al.Potent cyclic antagonists of the complement C5a receptor on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Relationships between structures and activityMol. Pharmacol.65(4)868-879(2004) 2.Jain, U., Woodruff, T.M., and Stadnyk, A.W.The C5a receptor antagonist PMX205 ameliorates experimentally induced colitis associated with increased IL-4 and IL-10Br. J. Pharmacol.168(2)488-501(2013) 3.Staab, E.B., Sanderson, S.D., Wells, S.M., et al.Treatment with the C5a receptor/CD88 antagonist PMX205 reduces inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthmaInt. Immunopharmacol.21(2)293-300(2014) 4.Fonseca, M.I., Ager, R.R., Chu, S.-H., et al.Treatment with a C5aR antagonist decreases pathology and enhances behavioral performance in murine models of Alzheimer's diseaseJ. Immunol.183(2)1375-1383(2009)