An antimicrobial peptide of the cathelicidin family that provides innate immune defense by killing pathogens and modulating inflammation and wound healing.
Mahlapuu. Margit M; Sidorowicz. Adam A; Mikosinski. Jacek J; Krzyżanowski. Mikołaj M; Or...
A phase IIb trial tested a skin cream containing the peptide LL-37 on tough venous leg ulcers. Overall it didn’t heal ulcers faster than a placebo, but in a side analysis people with big wounds (≥10 cm²) seemed to heal better. The cream was safe at both tested doses.
Mirzaee. Malihe M; Holásková. Edita E; Mičúchová. Alžbeta A; Kope&#x...
Scientists engineered barley plants to produce the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and showed that the gene stays stable for at least six generations, the plants grow normally, and the peptide still kills bacteria effectively.
Xu. Banglao B; Wu. Xianan X; Gong. Yi Y; Cao. Ju J
The study shows that the immune signal IL‑27 can boost the body’s natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 in gut cells, helping clear C. difficile infections in mice and linking higher IL‑27 and LL‑37 levels in infected patients. While it highlights a promising immune pathway, it doesn’t give a ready‑to‑use supplement or protocol for everyday use.
Suzuki. Kaori K; Ohkuma. Mari M; Someya. Akimasa A; Mita. Tomoya T; Nagaoka. Isao I
The study shows that the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 can start the cell’s recycling process (autophagy) in blood‑vessel cells, but if the recycling system is broken, LL‑37 builds up and kills those cells, which might help explain plaque formation in arteries.
Bankell. Elisabeth E; Liu. Xiaoyan X; Lundqvist. Martin M; Svensson. Daniel D; Swärd. Karl K; S...
The study shows that the human peptide LL‑37 quickly gets inside bone‑like cells and gathers in the mitochondria, where it makes the cells release proteins that trigger cell death. It also directly makes the mitochondrial membrane leaky. This means LL‑37 can damage healthy cells by messing with their power plants, which is important to know before anyone tries to use it as a supplement or therapy.
People who have higher natural levels of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 in their blood after a heart attack tend to have fewer serious heart problems over the next three years, while those with lower levels have more complications and higher death rates.
Vera-Cruz. Ana A; Tanphaichitr. Nongnuj N; Angel. Jonathan B JB
LL-37 is a natural antimicrobial peptide that shows some ability to block HIV infection in lab tests and may also affect the virus’s enzymes, but the evidence is still early and mixed. It also kills other sexually‑transmitted germs and can act as a sperm blocker, so it could become a multi‑purpose gel or spray for sexual health, though more research is needed before anyone can use it safely.
The study shows that the skin peptide LL‑37, which rises after UV light, infections or injury, can trigger a strong inflammatory response in rosacea by activating a cellular alarm called the NLRP3 inflammasome. In mouse skin, injecting LL‑37 caused redness and swelling, but blocking NLRP3 stopped the reaction.
Aronen. Matti M; Viikari. Laura L; Langen. Henriikka H; Kohonen. Ia I; Wuorela. Maarit M; Vuorinen....
In older adults hospitalized for breathing problems, low blood albumin (a protein that reflects nutrition and overall health) predicts higher short‑ and long‑term death risk, while vitamin D and the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 don’t seem to affect disease severity or survival.
Palusińska-Szysz. Marta M; Jurak. Małgorzata M; Gisch. Nicolas N; Waldow. Franziska F; Z...
The study shows that the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 can kill the pneumonia‑causing bacteria Legionella micdadei, and that when the bacteria are grown with extra choline (a nutrient found in many foods), they become even more sensitive to LL‑37 because their membrane changes. This reveals a link between bacterial membrane makeup and how well our natural defenses work, but it doesn’t give a ready‑to‑use supplement or treatment plan for most people.
Zsila. Ferenc F; Ricci. Maria M; Szigyártó. Imola Csilla IC; Singh. Priyanka P; Beke-Somfa...
Scientists found that the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 can grab onto a signaling molecule used by Pseudomonas bacteria, forming tiny twisted structures that lock the signal inside. This may stop the bacteria from talking to each other and forming tough biofilms, offering a new way the peptide could fight infections.
Nireeksha. Nireeksha N; Gollapalli. Pavan P; Varma. Sudhir Rama SR; Hegde. Mithra N MN; Kumari. N Su...
The study used computer models to see if the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 could break apart the COVID‑19 virus in saliva. The simulations suggest LL‑37 might stick to and disrupt the virus’s outer membrane, potentially working against all known variants, but no lab or human tests were done yet.
Behairy. Mohammed Y MY; Soltan. Mohamed A MA; Eldeen. Muhammad Alaa MA; Abdulhakim. Jawaher A JA; Al...
Researchers used computer models to find three genetic changes (SNPs) in the natural antimicrobial peptide hBD‑2 that make the protein less stable and weaker at sticking to the COVID‑19 virus spike protein. These changes could make some people more vulnerable to infection, and the findings could help develop personalized risk‑assessment tools.
The peptide LL‑37, which helps fight infections, was found to make liver cancer cells grow faster and to block the anti‑cancer effects of vitamin D in lab dishes and mouse tumors. It does this by turning on the EGFR/HER2‑Akt signaling pathway. Vitamin D itself raises LL‑37 levels, which could unintentionally reduce vitamin D’s own tumor‑fighting power in liver cancer.
In mice infected with a harmful E. coli strain, giving the natural peptide LL‑37 helped keep weight stable, protected gut lining, lowered inflammation, and improved the balance of gut bacteria. It also reduced the spread of bacteria to the liver and kidneys, suggesting LL‑37 can boost gut health during infection.
The study shows that a natural immune peptide called LL‑37, which is part of neutrophil traps, sticks to the surface of the fungus Candida albicans. When the fungus grabs LL‑37 and other trap proteins, it actually becomes better at damaging human cells, suggesting the fungus can hijack these immune molecules.
A computer‑model study found that the natural peptide LL‑37 sticks to the part of the ACE2 protein that the coronavirus uses to get into cells, even better than another peptide called HD5. This suggests LL‑37 might be able to block the virus from attaching, but the work is only theoretical and hasn’t been tested in people yet.
Hong. Linda L; Gontsarik. Mark M; Amenitsch. Heinz H; Salentinig. Stefan S
Researchers studied how the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 interacts with the outer membrane layer (LPS) of E. coli and how it behaves when packed inside tiny lipid particles. They found that LL‑37 can change LPS structures and that putting LL‑37 into special lipid carriers alters these changes, which could help design better antibacterial nanomaterials.
This review explains how two common lung bacteria in cystic fibrosis, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fight and help each other, and why the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 often can’t kill them. S. aureus can change into a tiny, slow‑growing form that resists antibiotics and LL‑37, while P. aeruginosa releases toxins that suppress S. aureus but also adapts its own defenses. The bacteria even protect each other from immune cells, making infections harder to clear.
Rocha-Roa. Cristian C; Orjuela. Juan David JD; Leidy. Chad C; Cossio. Pilar P; Aponte-Santamarí...
The study shows that a bacterial membrane fat called cardiolipin makes it harder for the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 to punch holes in the membrane, helping bacteria like Staph aureus resist the peptide. This was seen in computer simulations, not in real people or animals.