In the presence of specialized proteins or peptides, a biological membrane can spontaneously restructure itself to allow communication between the intracellular and the extracellular sides. Examples of these proteins include cell-penetrating peptides and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which interact with cell membranes in complex ways. We briefly review cell-penetrating peptides and AMPs, and d...

β-defensins are components of host defense, with antimicrobial and pleiotropic immuno-modulatory properties. Research over the last 15 years has demonstrated abundant expression of a variety of β-defensins in the postnatal epididymis of different species. A gradient of region- and cell-specific expression of these proteins is observed in the epithelium of the postnatal epididymis. Their secreti...

Defensins are short cationic, amphiphilic, cysteine-rich peptides that constitute the front-line immune defense against various pathogens. In addition to exerting direct antibacterial activities, defensins inactivate several classes of unrelated bacterial exotoxins. To date, no coherent mechanism has been proposed to explain defensins' enigmatic efficiency toward various toxins. In this study, ...

Abstract Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is a dietary compound that acts as ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), an important sensor environmental polyaromatic chemicals and regulator of immune response. The pathogenesis colitis involves multiple interactions between microbial dysbiosis, dysregulation host response, factors, genetic profile. Indeed, studies have shown defective expression Ah...

BACKGROUND The majority of beta-defensin family members are exclusively expressed in the epididymis, and some members have been shown to play essential roles in sperm maturation and fertility in rats, mice and humans. Therefore, beta-defensins are hypothesized to be potential targets for contraception and infertility diagnosis and treatment. Clarifying the regulatory mechanisms for the expressi...

BACKGROUND Defensins, also known as human neutrophil peptides, are antimicrobial peptides present in the azurophil granules of neutrophils. We measured their level in pleural effusion in various pulmonary diseases to investigate whether they could be used as a diagnostic marker in the differential diagnosis of specific pleural diseases. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS We analyzed pleural effusion s...