Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from fish epidermis: Perspectives for investigative dermatology

Sebastian Rakers, Lars Niklasson, Dieter Steinhagen, Charli Kruse, Jürgen Schauber, Kristina Sundell, Ralf Paus

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Mammalian and fish skin share protective activities against environments that are rich in infectious agents. Fish epidermis is endowed with an extrinsic barrier consisting of a mucus layer and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). These operate together as a protective chemical shield. As these AMPs are evolutionarily well preserved and also found in higher vertebrate skin (including human epidermis), fish skin offers a unique opportunity to study the origins of innate antimicrobial defense systems. Furthermore, the broad spectrum of fish mucus antimicrobial activities renders piscine AMPs interesting to investigative dermatology, as these may become exploitable for various indications in clinical dermatology. Therefore, this article aims at casting light on fish mucus, the evolutionary relationship between human and fish AMPs, and the latter's antibacterial, antifungal, and even antiviral activities. Moreover, we develop dermatological lessons from, and sketch potential future clinical applications of, fish mucus and piscine AMPs. © 2013 The Society for Investigative Dermatology.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1140-1149
    Number of pages9
    JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
    Volume133
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - May 2013

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