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Editorial
. 2021 Nov 21;27(43):7402-7422.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i43.7402.

Antimicrobial peptides and the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease

John Gubatan  1 , Derek R Holman  2 , Christopher J Puntasecca  3 , Danielle Polevoi  3 , Samuel Js Rubin  3 , Stephan Rogalla  4
Affiliations
Editorial

Antimicrobial peptides and the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease

John Gubatan et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are highly diverse and dynamic molecules that are expressed by specific intestinal epithelial cells, Paneth cells, as well as immune cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They play critical roles in maintaining tolerance to gut microbiota and protecting against enteric infections. Given that disruptions in tolerance to commensal microbiota and loss of barrier function play major roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and converge on the function of AMP, the significance of AMP as potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets in IBD have been increasingly recognized in recent years. In this frontier article, we discuss the function and mechanisms of AMP in the GI tract, examine the interaction of AMP with the gut microbiome, explore the role of AMP in the pathogenesis of IBD, and review translational applications of AMP in patients with IBD.

Keywords: Antimicrobial peptides; Biomarkers; Crohn’s disease; Gut microbiome; Inflammatory bowel disease; Ulcerative colitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interests or financial disclosures relevant to this manuscript.

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