Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology
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Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol · Oct 2007
ReviewThe role of human beta defensins and cathelicidins in atopic dermatitis.
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with significant barrier disruption, T-helper type 2 mediated skin inflammation, and an impaired innate immune response. These characteristics increase the susceptibility of atopic dermatitis patients to recurrent skin infections, some of which may have potentially fatal implications. The mechanisms resulting in this increased propensity for skin infections have been an area of active investigation. ⋯ The current review will examine recent literature on the role of antimicrobial peptides in atopic dermatitis in an effort to improve our understanding of why patients with the condition suffer from recurrent infections.