Salivary mucins inhibit antibacterial activity of the cathelicidin-derived LL-37 peptide but not the cationic steroid CSA-13

摘要

ObjectivesCationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs) are the effector molecules of innate immunity, similar in potency to classic antibiotics that function in the first-line of defence against infectious agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of negatively charged mucins on the antibacterial activity of the positively charged cathelicidin LL-37 peptide, its synthetic analogue WLBU2 and the antimicrobial cationic steroid CSA-13.