An antimicrobial peptide of the cathelicidin family that provides innate immune defense by killing pathogens and modulating inflammation and wound healing.
LL-37 is a natural protein your body makes that can kill bacteria and also calls certain immune cells—like neutrophils, monocytes and T‑cells—to the site of infection, but it doesn’t attract dendritic cells. It works through a specific receptor (FPRL1) and helps kick‑start both innate and adaptive immunity.
Chen. Xin X; Zhu. Jing-Jing JJ; Yang. Xiao-Fan XF; Ma. Yu-Peng YP; Bao. Yi-Min YM; Ning. Ke K
The paper reviews how tiny fibers released by neutrophils (called NETs) and their components, like the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, can damage blood vessel lining and promote atherosclerosis, a key cause of heart disease. It explains the molecular ways these NET components worsen inflammation and plaque formation, but does not test any treatments or give direct advice on using LL‑37.
Bals. R R; Lang. C C; Weiner. D J DJ; Vogelmeier. C C; Welsch. U U; Wilson. J M JM
Researchers cloned and compared the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 (and related defensins) from rhesus monkeys to the human versions and found they are almost identical. This means the monkey’s immune peptides work the same way as ours, confirming that these animals are good models for studying how LL-37 protects mucosal surfaces.
Andersson. E E; Sørensen. O E OE; Frohm. B B; Borregaard. N N; Egesten. A A; Malm. J J
Researchers found that the LL-37 precursor protein hCAP-18 is present in human semen, both on its own and attached to tiny vesicles called prostasomes. This suggests semen can store the antimicrobial peptide, possibly helping protect sperm and the reproductive tract from infections.
The study explains that a natural peptide called LL‑37 can bind to special receptors on white blood cells, triggering inflammation and affecting other immune signals. This interaction might influence how the body fights infections and could impact diseases like HIV, but the paper doesn’t give any dosing tips or direct ways to use LL‑37 for health improvement.
Woo. Jeong-Su JS; Jeong. Ji Yong JY; Hwang. You Jin YJ; Chae. Sung Won SW; Hwang. Soon Jae SJ; Lee....
The antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, the only cathelicidin found in humans, is naturally made in salivary glands and its production goes up when the glands are inflamed, hinting it helps protect the mouth from microbes.
Agerberth. B B; Charo. J J; Werr. J J; Olsson. B B; Idali. F F; Lindbom. L L; Kiessling. R R; Jö...
The paper shows that human immune cells such as NK cells, certain T‑cells, B cells and monocytes can make the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, and that this peptide can attract other immune cells. Its production goes up after IL‑2 exposure and is further influenced by IL‑6 and interferon‑gamma.
Frick. Inga-Maria IM; Akesson. Per P; Rasmussen. Magnus M; Schmidtchen. Artur A; Björck. Lars L
The study shows that a protein called SIC, made by some strains of the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, can block two of our body's natural antibiotics – neutrophil alpha‑defensin and LL‑37. This blocking helps the bacteria survive, especially the more dangerous M1 strain, which makes a stronger version of SIC.
Bals. R R; Weiner. D J DJ; Moscioni. A D AD; Meegalla. R L RL; Wilson. J M JM
In mice, delivering the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 through a virus boosted the animals' ability to fight bacterial infections and reduced harmful inflammation, leading to better survival after severe challenges.
Zainab. A Jameel Ahmed Arshia AJAA; Ashish. Nichani N; Ragnath. Venugopal V
People with both type‑2 diabetes and gum disease have much higher levels of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (and also HNP 1‑3) in their saliva. These peptide levels are linked to the severity of gum disease and to blood‑sugar measures, suggesting they rise as part of the body’s inflammatory response.
Li. Dong D; Wang. Xuan X; Dai. Yan Y; Yang. Fan F; Wan. Hai-ying HY
The study shows that the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, when released by immune cells called macrophages, can make ovarian cancer cells grow faster. Adding an antibody that blocks LL-37 stopped this extra growth, indicating LL-37 is a key driver in this lab model.
Schaller-Bals. Susanne S; Schulze. Andreas A; Bals. Robert R
The study found that newborn babies, both full‑term and premature, have the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (along with two defensins) in their lung fluid, and these levels go up when the baby has a lung or systemic infection. The peptides rise together with inflammation markers, showing they are part of the baby’s natural defense system.
Frohm Nilsson. M M; Sandstedt. B B; Sørensen. O O; Weber. G G; Borregaard. N N; Ståhle-B&#...
The body naturally makes the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (from its precursor hCAP18) in the lining of the mouth, throat, esophagus, cervix and vagina. Its production goes up together with the inflammation signal IL‑6, hinting that the peptide is part of the local immune defense in these tissues.
LL-37 is the only known human cathelicidin peptide and plays a key part in our innate immune system. This review explains how LL-37 is involved in the development of chronic sinusitis, a long‑lasting inflammation of the sinuses. The authors highlight that researchers are paying more attention to LL-37’s role in this condition.
Majewski. K K; Agier. J J; Kozłowska. E E; Brzezińska-Błaszczyk. E E
The study found that people with active tuberculosis have higher blood levels of the natural antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 compared to people with regular bacterial pneumonia or healthy folks. This suggests LL‑37 is part of the body’s defense, especially against infections that live inside cells, but the research didn’t link LL‑37 levels to standard inflammation markers like CRP or white‑blood‑cell count.
Dale. B A BA; Kimball. J R JR; Krisanaprakornkit. S S; Roberts. F F; Robinovitch. M M; O'Neal. R R;...
The study shows that the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 is made by immune cells (neutrophils) that move into the gum tissue, while other antimicrobial peptides (beta‑defensins) are produced by the gum lining itself. Different parts of the mouth use different peptides to fight bacteria.
Xiao. Zunsheng Z; Ding. Wencui W; Wen. Chao C; Ge. Chao C; Liu. Lu L; Xu. Ke K; Cao. Sumin S
In people with type 2 diabetes, higher blood sugar and worse gum disease go hand‑in‑hand with higher levels of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (and HBD‑2) in saliva. The peptide rises as gum inflammation and blood‑sugar markers get worse.
Golec. Marcin M; Reichel. Christian C; Mackiewicz. Barbara B; Skorska. Czeslawa C; Curzytek. Katarzy...
The study found that farmers who have early-stage COPD have higher amounts of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (and the enzymes granzyme A and B) in their lung mucus compared to healthy farmers and city dwellers. This suggests LL‑37 rises when the lungs are exposed to organic dust and may be linked to COPD development.
The study shows that adding the antimicrobial protein HBD‑2 to colon and breast cells changes how those cells make other immune proteins, especially boosting the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 and altering the activity of the immune sensor TLR‑7. These changes differ between gut and breast cells, suggesting HBD‑2 can reshape local immune responses.
Sørensen. O O; Arnljots. K K; Cowland. J B JB; Bainton. D F DF; Borregaard. N N
The study shows that the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 (part of the larger protein hCAP‑18) is made in early bone‑marrow cells and stored together with lactoferrin inside a special type of neutrophil granule. It isn’t mixed with gelatin‑degrading enzymes and is kept in an inactive form until the cell releases it.