Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013 Oct;13(5):531-6. doi: 10.1097/ACI.0b013e328364ddfd.
To summarize the findings on the expression of antimicrobial peptides in the skin in inflammatory skin diseases and particularly in atopic dermatitis. Moreover, the literature addressing the functions of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) beyond antimicrobial activities with impact on allergic skin inflammation is summarized as well.
Although lower expressed than in psoriasis, most AMPs have been shown to be either constitutively expressed or upregulated in atopic dermatitis as well. A number of immunoregulatory functions which might impact on allergic skin inflammation have been described for several antimicrobial peptides, mainly for human β-defensins and the cathelicidin LL-37.
From the recent literature, there is considerable evidence that AMPs are induced in the skin in atopic dermatitis. However, some studies suggest that the induction, release or mobilization of some AMPs in atopic dermatitis may not reach sufficient levels to provide adequate control of cutaneous microbial colonization. Th2 cytokines appear to negatively influence the expression and induction of some AMPs. A number of immunoregulatory functions have been described for several AMPs. Most of them point to a proinflammatory function of AMPs in addition to their antimicrobial activities. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of AMPs in atopic dermatitis.
总结皮肤中抗菌肽在炎症性皮肤病，特别是特应性皮炎中的表达情况。此外，还总结了抗菌肽（AMPs）除了抗菌作用之外对过敏性皮肤炎症有影响的其他功能的文献。
虽然在银屑病中的表达低于在特应性皮炎中的表达，但大多数 AMPs 已经被证明在特应性皮炎中要么是组成性表达，要么是上调表达。已经描述了一些免疫调节功能，这些功能可能对过敏性皮肤炎症有影响，主要是针对人β-防御素和抗菌肽 LL-37。
从最近的文献来看，有相当多的证据表明 AMPs 在特应性皮炎中被诱导产生。然而，一些研究表明，特应性皮炎中某些 AMPs 的诱导、释放或动员可能没有达到足够的水平，无法对皮肤微生物定植提供充分的控制。Th2 细胞因子似乎对某些 AMPs 的表达和诱导有负面影响。已经描述了几种 AMPs 的一些免疫调节功能。它们中的大多数除了具有抗菌作用外，还指出 AMPs 在炎症中的促炎作用。需要进一步的研究来阐明 AMPs 在特应性皮炎中的作用。
