Neutrophils LL-37 migrate to the nucleus during overwhelming infection

摘要

LL-37 is the only cathelicidin produced by human cells. It is secreted by a variety of cell types, including monocyte/macrophages, neutrophils, mast cells, keratinocytes and epithelial cells, acting on the extracellular milieu by directly killing bacteria or boosting innate immunity. Here, we show that LL-37 translocates to the nucleus following overwhelming infection, putting in evidence that its role may be even broader, with new potential important implications to cell biology. Future studies are necessary to address if LL-37 is able to induce or affect transcription, since it can lead to a novel cell signaling pathway that probably will contribute to the understanding of complex diseases