Peritoneal macrophages are impaired in cathelicidin-deficient mice systemically challenged with Escherichia coli

This study demonstrates that fewer macrophages were recruited in mice genetically deficient in cathelicidin (Camp−/−) during acuteEscherichia coli–induced peritonitis and those macrophages had impaired phagocytosis. These defects seem due to endogenous functions of murine cathelicidin (CRAMP) as phagocytosis was not improved by synthetic human cathelicidin (LL-37) in a murine phagocytic cell line. This knowledge contributes to understanding the function of cathelicidins in the recruitment and function of phagocytic cells and differential roles between endogenous and exogenous cathelicidins.
Source: Cell and Tissue Research - Category: Cytology Source Type: research