Antimicrobial peptides in innate immune responses.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ancient effector molecules in the innate immune response of eukaryotes. These peptides are important for the antimicrobial efficacy of phagocytes and for the innate immune response mounted by epithelia of humans and other mammals. AMPs are generated either by de novo synthesis or by proteolytic cleavage from antimicrobially inactive proproteins. Studies of human diseases and animal studies have given important clues to the in vivo role of AMPs. It is now evident that dysregulation of the generation of AMPs in innate immune responses plays a role in certain diseases like Crohn's disease and atopic dermatitis. AMPs are attractive candidates for development of novel antibiotics due to their in vivo activity profile and some peptides may serve as templates for further drug development.