Antimicrobial properties of hemoglobin

Abstract

Hemoglobin consists of a heme containing component and a globin unit. It exists as a tetramer with 2 α subunits and 2 β subunits in adults and with 2 α subunits and 2 γ chains in infants. On proteolytic cleavage, hemoglobin breaks down to produce many biologically active compounds, among which are hemocidins, those which exhibit antimicrobial property. The generation of these peptides does not depend on the blood group, Rhesus factor, age and sex of the healthy donors. The microbicidal activity has been observed against a variety of gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and against filamentous fungi, yeast and even certain parasites. The discovery of hemocidins opens a new field for research into the details of the peptides acting as second line of defence in boosting the innate immune system of the organisms.