Lüthje Petra, Brauner Annelie
Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm SE-171 76, Sweden.
Pathogens. 2016 Jan 27;5(1):13. doi: 10.3390/pathogens5010013.
Urinary tract infections are one of the most common bacterial infections, especially in women and children, frequently treated with antibiotics. The alarming increase in antibiotic resistance is a global threat to future treatment of infections. Therefore, alternative strategies are urgently needed. The innate immune system plays a fundamental role in protecting the urinary tract from infections. Antimicrobial peptides form an important part of the innate immunity. They are produced by epithelial cells and neutrophils and defend the urinary tract against invading bacteria. Since efficient resistance mechanisms have not evolved among bacterial pathogens, much effort has been put into exploring the role of antimicrobial peptides and possibilities to utilize them in clinical practice. Here, we describe the impact of antimicrobial peptides in the urinary tract and ways to enhance the production by hormones like vitamin D and estrogen. We also discuss the potential of medicinal herbs to be used in the prophylaxis and the treatment of urinary tract infections.
尿路感染是最常见的细菌感染之一，在女性和儿童中尤为常见，通常使用抗生素进行治疗。抗生素耐药性的惊人增加对未来感染的治疗构成全球威胁。因此，迫切需要替代策略。先天免疫系统在保护尿路免受感染方面发挥着重要作用。抗菌肽是先天免疫的重要组成部分。它们由上皮细胞和中性粒细胞产生，保护尿路免受入侵细菌的侵害。由于细菌病原体尚未进化出有效的耐药机制，人们已投入大量精力探索抗菌肽的作用以及在临床实践中利用它们的可能性。在此，我们描述了抗菌肽在尿路中的作用以及通过维生素D和雌激素等激素增强其产生的方法。我们还讨论了草药在预防和治疗尿路感染方面的潜力。
