An antimicrobial peptide of the cathelicidin family that provides innate immune defense by killing pathogens and modulating inflammation and wound healing.
De Pessemier. Britta B; López. Celia Díez CD; Taelman. Steff S; Verdonck. Merel M; Chen. Y...
The study looked at the bacteria living on the scalp of people with scalp psoriasis and compared them to healthy scalp skin. It found fewer overall microbes and a drop in helpful Cutibacterium species in the psoriasis patches, while harmful Staphylococcus aureus was more common. The bacteria in the lesions also carried more genes that can pump out antimicrobial peptides like LL‑37, which the body naturally makes to fight infection.
A lab test showed that a spray made of curcumin (the spice compound) can block SARS‑CoV‑2 and flu viruses in cell cultures and also boosts the body’s natural mouth‑and‑nose defenses by raising levels of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37. The spray wasn’t toxic to the cells, but the work is still early‑stage and only done in dishes, not people.
Zhang. Yue Y; Bharathi. Vanthana V; Dokoshi. Tatsuya T; de Anda. Jaime J; Ursery. Lauryn Tumey LT; K...
The study found that pieces of the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus can look like the human immune peptide LL‑37 and stick together with viral RNA to form tiny crystal‑like structures that over‑activate the immune system, causing inflammation similar to what’s seen in severe COVID‑19. This helps explain why inflammation can stay high even after the virus is gone, but it doesn’t give a direct new supplement or treatment plan for biohackers.
In mice, a pesticide called rotenone causes brain inflammation and memory loss, and this gets worse when a brain receptor called CR3 is activated by the peptide LL‑37. Mice that lack CR3 or are given a drug that blocks CR3 show less brain damage and better memory, even after problems have started.
Researchers found that two short versions of the natural peptide LL-37, called LL-18 and FF-18, can stop a nasty virus (EV71) from getting into cells and spreading, and they work better than the original peptide in lab and animal tests.
Hanafiah. Alfizah A; Abd Aziz. Siti Nur Arifah SNA; Md Nesran. Zarith Nameyrra ZN; Wezen. Xavier Che...
Researchers used computer models to see how the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 sticks to proteins from the stomach bug H. pylori. The study found that LL‑37 can bind to several bacterial proteins, but it wasn’t the strongest binder compared to other peptides, and no lab tests were done to confirm real‑world effects.
The study shows that giving the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (called CRAMP in mice) to mice with sepsis‑induced lung damage reduces a type of inflammatory cell death called pyroptosis. In both mouse lungs and human lung cells grown in the lab, LL‑37 lowered the activity of key proteins (NLRP3, caspase‑1, GSDMD) and inflammatory signals (IL‑1β, IL‑18) that drive this damage.
The study shows that the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 is detected by a sensor in the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which then turns on a toxin (HigB) that makes the bacteria more harmful to immune cells. In other words, LL‑37 can unintentionally boost the bacteria's ability to cause damage.
A study found that three drugs that block histone deacetylases (HDAC) can boost the body’s own antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 and help immune cells kill the TB bacteria, especially when combined with the standard TB drug rifampicin. One of these drugs, called ACE, worked best in lung cells and showed promise against drug‑resistant TB strains, but the work is still early‑stage and done in cell cultures, not people.
Mechesso. Abraham Fikru AF; Zhang. Weiwei W; Su. Yajuan Y; Xie. Jingwei J; Wang. Guangshun G
Scientists tweaked the human peptide LL‑37 and found that packing lots of positive charges at the very start of the short peptide makes it much better at killing tough Gram‑negative bacteria like E. coli and P. aeruginosa. The best version (called RIK‑10+) was also effective in a mouse wound model, while the version with fewer front‑loaded charges was weaker.
Chernov. Alexandr N AN; Kim. Alexandr V AV; Skliar. Sofia S SS; Fedorov. Evgeniy V EV; Tsapieva. Ann...
The study shows that the natural peptide LL‑37 can kill brain‑cancer cells in the lab and works better when combined with some chemotherapy drugs. In rats with brain tumors, giving LL‑37 made the tumors smaller and the animals lived longer. However, these results are only from cell cultures and animal tests, not human trials, so they aren’t ready to be used as a health hack today.
A study found that tiny particles (exosomes) made from Scutellaria baicalensis (a Chinese herb) can help protect gum‑related stem cells and immune cells from damage caused by fine dust. These exosomes boosted the release of helpful immune proteins like LL‑37, IL‑10 and TGF‑β, while reducing a harmful signal (MCP‑1). They also encouraged stem cells to become bone‑forming and gum‑supporting cells, suggesting a potential oral‑health benefit in polluted environments.
In people with a rare metabolic disease (GSD‑1b) that causes low neutrophil counts, the diabetes drug empagliflozin raised the number of neutrophils and fixed many of their functions better than the usual growth‑factor treatment, but it did not restore the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 or the ability to form neutrophil traps.
Cuellar-Gaviria. Tatiana Z TZ; Rincon-Benavides. Maria Angelica MA; Halipci Topsakal. Hatice Nur HN;...
Scientists used a tiny‑needle‑like technique to deliver a gene that makes the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 directly into mouse skin wounds. This boosted LL‑37 levels, cut down Staph bacteria and biofilm, and helped the wounds heal faster with more immune cells and blood vessels.
Fontanot. Alessio A; Ellinger. Isabella I; Unger. Wendy W J WWJ; Hays. John P JP
The review shows that the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 is one of the most researched molecules for fighting bacterial biofilms, especially those made by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Scientists are looking at ways to boost its effect, like mixing it with other peptides or delivering it via nanoparticles, but there’s still little data on resistance or how to safely use it in people.
Scientists created mouse mast cells that carry the human MRGPRX2 receptor, letting them study how human‑type mast cells react to substances like the peptide LL‑37. They showed that LL‑37 triggers calcium signals, degranulation, and inflammatory TNF‑α release in these cells, both in lab dishes and after the cells are put into mice lacking mast cells.
Rivera. Kristen G KG; Tanaka. Kari J KJ; Buechel. Evan R ER; Origel. Octavio O; Harrison. Alistair A...
The study shows that a protein called SapA helps a common respiratory bug, NTHi, avoid being killed by the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37. When SapA is missing, the bacteria become much more vulnerable to LL‑37 and other beta‑defensins, but they still resist an alpha‑defensin. SapA works by grabbing onto specific charge‑hydrophobic patterns in these peptides.
The study shows that a protein made by the bacteria Streptococcus suis (called PepO) can chop up the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, stopping it from killing the bacteria and from helping immune cells work properly. When the bacteria lack PepO, they become much more vulnerable to LL‑37 and cause less damage in mice.
Wang. Jia-Song JS; Peng. Xi X; Zhao. Zhao Z; Wang. Chao C; Xie. Hua-Tao HT; Zhang. Ming-Chang MC
The study looked at eye tissue from people with fungal infections and found that the body’s natural antimicrobial protein LL‑37, along with other defense molecules, spikes when the infection is active, especially in infections caused by Aspergillus fungus. After healing, LL‑37 levels drop back toward normal.
The study shows that the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 helps eye‑infecting fungi by making immune cells called neutrophils better at grabbing and destroying the fungus. In mice, more LL‑37 meant fewer fungi, clearer eyes, and better healing, and this effect relied on a specific receptor (CXCR2) and cell‑cleaning processes (autophagy).