An antimicrobial peptide of the cathelicidin family that provides innate immune defense by killing pathogens and modulating inflammation and wound healing.
Bolatchiev. Albert A; Baturin. Vladimir V; Bolatchieva. Elizaveta E
The study found that two small molecules—andrographolide (from the herb Andrographis) and 4‑phenylbutyric acid—can roughly double the blood levels of natural antimicrobial proteins hBD‑1 and LL‑37 in rats, and that this boost helped the animals survive a deadly infection with a drug‑resistant bacteria. While the results are promising for boosting innate immunity, they are only in animals, so we don’t yet know the right doses or safety in people.
Stecher. Carmen C; Maurer. Katharina Philomena KP; Kastner. Marie-Theres MT; Steininger. Christoph C
The study shows that the virus that causes cytomegalovirus can quickly shut down the body’s vitamin‑D receptor, making vitamin‑D supplements less effective against it. This shutdown is driven by a protein called Snail1, and drugs that affect gene‑silencing can partly reverse it. Importantly, adding the vitamin‑D‑triggered antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 directly to infected cells dramatically cut the amount of virus, suggesting that LL‑37 (or similar peptides) might be a useful antiviral tool when vitamin‑D pathways are blocked.
Latsko. Karina N KN; Jacob. Andrew T AT; Junod. Nathan A NA; Haas. Caitlin E CE; Castiglia. Katelyn...
The study shows that the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 can kill the RSV virus in a dose‑dependent way, no matter which strain of the virus is used. One of the human beta‑defensins (hBD‑3) does the same, while two others (hBD‑1 and hBD‑4) work inconsistently across strains. This suggests LL‑37 and certain defensins could help stop RSV infections or be used as a treatment.
Chen. Keqiang K; Gong. Wanghua W; Huang. Jiaqiang J; Yoshimura. Teizo T; Wang. Ji Ming JM
LL-37 is a natural human peptide that fights microbes and helps tissue repair, but using the full‑length molecule can harm cells at high doses. Researchers found that tiny pieces of LL‑37 keep most of the good effects while being less toxic, making them promising candidates for new health‑boosting drugs.
Di Vincenzo. Angelo A; Granzotto. Marnie M; Crescenzi. Marika M; Costa. Camilla C; Piaserico. Stefan...
The study shows that human fat cells naturally make the inflammation signal IL‑23, and that insulin makes them produce even more of it. This effect is specific to insulin and not seen with other triggers like bacterial components. Because high insulin levels are common in obesity, this may help explain why people who are overweight often have worse psoriasis.
In a mouse study, applying the natural peptide LL‑37 to MRSA‑infected wounds helped the skin heal faster, with better tissue formation and more blood vessels, suggesting it could be a useful future treatment for infected wounds.
Researchers examined a short fragment of the human immune peptide LL‑37 called SK‑24. It forms a stable helix, kills bacteria, blocks biofilm formation, and damages red blood cells less than the full‑length peptide, indicating it could be a safer, more effective antimicrobial.
Wuersching. Sabina Noreen SN; Huth. Karin Christine KC; Hickel. Reinhard R; Kollmuss. Maximilian M
The study found that two natural human peptides, LL‑37 and lactoferricin, can make common antibiotics work better against stubborn oral bacterial films, even those that normally resist treatment, and they also help break up the biofilm structure.
Lu. Xiaoyu X; Yang. Min M; Zhou. Shengwen S; Yang. Shuo S; Chen. Xiran X; Khalid. Mehwish M; Wang. K...
Researchers discovered a new peptide called RK22 from a leech that can kill regular and drug‑resistant Staph bacteria at low doses. It stops the bacteria from forming protective biofilms, works well in blood, doesn’t harm human cells or cause blood clots, and protected animals from infection in tests. While it isn’t available for personal use yet, it shows promise as a future anti‑infection drug.
Su. Yajuan Y; Ganguli-Indra. Gitali G; Bhattacharya. Nilika N; Logan. Isabelle E IE; Indra. Arup K A...
Scientists made a special wound dressing that slowly releases vitamin D3 and a drug that blocks its breakdown, which together boost the body’s own antimicrobial peptide LL‑37. In lab tests and mouse skin, this combo dramatically raised LL‑37 levels and helped fight infections better than using vitamin D3 alone.
The human peptide LL-37 can kill Staph aureus bacteria, stop them from sticking to titanium surfaces, and even break down established bacterial films on those surfaces in lab tests. The effective concentrations are in the low‑micromolar range (around 0.6 µM for killing, 0.16 µM to block sticking, and 5 µM to smash mature biofilm).
Lungu. Patrick Saili PS; Kilembe. William W; Lakhi. Shabir S; Sukwa. Thomas T; Njelesani. Evarist E;...
People with active TB in Zambia had lower blood vitamin D and lower levels of the immune‑boosting peptide LL‑37 compared to healthy contacts, and higher vitamin D was linked to higher LL‑37.
The study found that turning on a protein called HIF‑1 raises levels of the natural antibiotic LL‑37 and other immune signals in cells exposed to high sugar, and that this boost helped diabetic mice clear urinary infections. In people with type‑2 diabetes, higher HIF‑1 was linked to more LL‑37, especially in those living at high altitude. While this hints that HIF‑1‑activating drugs might aid infection control in diabetics, the evidence is still early and not yet ready for a DIY protocol.
Caiaffa. Karina Sampaio KS; Dos Santos. Vanessa Rodrigues VR; Abuna. Gabriel Flores GF; Santos-Filho...
The study found that mixing the green‑tea compound EGCG with the antimicrobial peptide KR‑12‑a5 (a short version of LL‑37) kills common mouth bacteria that cause root‑canal infections, without harming human gum cells. The combo works better than either ingredient alone, especially against biofilm forms of the bugs.
Researchers found that two chlorogenic acid compounds from the herb Artemisia lavandulaefolia can block a skin enzyme (KLK5) that normally turns a protein called cathelicidin into the inflammatory peptide LL‑37. By stopping this step, the compounds reduced inflammation signals in immune cells and also slowed the growth and movement of blood‑vessel cells that contribute to rosacea lesions. The work was done in cell cultures, not people, so it shows a promising mechanism but isn’t a proven treatment yet.
Metformin, the common diabetes drug, was shown in lab cells from the bladder lining to boost natural antimicrobial defenses, especially the peptide LL‑37, and other immune signals, making it better at killing E. coli that cause urinary tract infections. This suggests metformin could give extra protection against UTIs, adding to its known metabolic and longevity benefits, but the findings are from cell experiments, not human trials.
The study shows that a bacterial eye infection creates oxidative stress and blocks the cell’s natural defenses, but a compound called tBHQ can turn on the Nrf2 pathway, lower harmful oxygen molecules, revive cell cleanup processes, and cut down the bacteria. It also boosts the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, which helps kill the germs; removing LL‑37 makes the infection worse.
Shin. Kyong-Oh KO; Mihara. Hisashi H; Ishida. Kenya K; Uchida. Yoshikazu Y; Park. Kyungho K
The study shows that a specific skin‑friendly ceramide called NDS can get into deeper skin layers, turn into other ceramides that strengthen the skin barrier, and boost the production of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37. Both NDS and another ceramide (NP) help skin cells mature, but NDS does it better and also raises early‑stage skin proteins.
Vitamin D and its active forms can help fight hepatitis C by blocking virus production in different ways, and they also boost a natural antimicrobial peptide called LL‑37 that can directly break apart the virus. While this suggests vitamin D might improve standard interferon treatments, the findings are mostly from lab studies, so the real‑world impact is still uncertain.
Rumpret. Matevž M; von Richthofen. Helen J HJ; van der Linden. Maarten M; Westerlaken. Geertje...
The study shows that the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, like certain staph bacterial peptides, can turn on a immune‑dampening receptor called SIRL‑1. This means LL‑37 might not only fight microbes but also tone down some immune responses, and scientists can now make custom peptides that hit SIRL‑1 without causing cell damage.