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- Title
An angiogenic role for the human peptide antibiotic LL-37/hCAP-18.
- Authors
Koczulla, Rembert; von Degenfeld, Georges; Kupatt, Christian; Krötz, Florian; Zahler, Stefan; Gloe, Torsten; Issbrücker, Katja; Unterberger, Pia; Zaiou, Mohamed; Lebherz, Corinna; Karl, Alexander; Raake, Philip; Pfosser, Achim; Boekstegers, Peter; Welsch, Ulrich; Hiemstra, Pieter S; Vogelmeier, Claus; Gallo, Richard L; Clauss, Matthias; Bals, Robert
- Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules of the innate immune system and contribute to host defense and regulation of inflammation. The human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37/hCAP-18 is expressed in leukocytes and epithelial cells and secreted into wound and airway surface fluid. Here we show that LL-37 induces angiogenesis mediated by formyl peptide receptor-like 1 expressed on endothelial cells. Application of LL-37 resulted in neovascularization in the chorioallantoic membrane assay and in a rabbit model of hind-limb ischemia. The peptide directly activates endothelial cells, resulting in increased proliferation and formation of vessel-like structures in cultivated endothelial cells. Decreased vascularization during wound repair in mice deficient for CRAMP, the murine homologue of LL-37/hCAP-18, shows that cathelicidin-mediated angiogenesis is important for cutaneous wound neovascularization in vivo. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that LL-37/hCAP-18 is a multifunctional antimicrobial peptide with a central role in innate immunity by linking host defense and inflammation with angiogenesis and arteriogenesis.
- Publication
The Journal of clinical investigation, 2003, Vol 111, Issue 11, p1665
- ISSN
0021-9738
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1172/JCI17545