LL-37 10mg

LL-37 10mg
£40.00

(NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION RESEARCH USE ONLY) 

LL-37 10mg

is the sole human cathelicidin protein and a crucial component of the innate immune system. This naturally occurring peptide has powerful antimicrobial properties against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and it also plays a significant role in modulating inflammation and wound healing. 

 

MECHANISM OF ACTION

 

LL-37 functions through a variety of mechanisms that disrupt pathogens and regulate host immunity: 

  • Membrane Disruption: Its positive charge and amphipathic structure allow it to bind to the negatively charged membranes of microbes, forming pores that disrupt cell integrity and cause death.
  • Intracellular Targeting: It can enter bacterial cells to interfere with essential functions like DNA transcription and translation, stopping growth and replication.
  • Biofilm Disruption: LL-37 can penetrate and break down bacterial biofilms, which are notoriously resistant to conventional antibiotics and immune clearance.
  • Immune Cell Recruitment: It acts as a powerful chemoattractant, recruiting immune cells like neutrophils, monocytes, and T lymphocytes to sites of infection and injury by binding to receptors like FPRL1.
  • Inflammation Modulation: It binds to bacterial toxins like LPS (lipopolysaccharide), preventing them from over-activating the immune system, while also stimulating anti-inflammatory pathways. 

 

BIOLOGICAL ROLES AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

 

LL-37's multifaceted role extends beyond simply killing pathogens: 

  • Wound Healing: It promotes tissue repair by encouraging cell proliferation, migration, and the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis).
  • Biomarker: Levels of LL-37 in bodily fluids like saliva can serve as potential biomarkers for inflammatory conditions such as periodontal disease or heart failure.
  • Cancer Implications: LL-37 has a complex and contradictory role in cancer; it can suppress tumor growth in some instances (e.g., gastric cancer) while promoting progression in others (e.g., ovarian, breast, lung cancers), depending on the tissue and microenvironment.
  • Autoimmune Disease: Dysregulation of LL-37 is implicated in autoimmune conditions like psoriasis and lupus, where its interaction with the immune system may propagate inflammation. 

 

Status and Availability

LL-37 is a natural human peptide and a subject of intense medical research for developing new antimicrobial therapies. 

  • FDA Approval: LL-37 itself is not an FDA-approved drug for therapeutic use in humans.
  • Availability: It is widely available online from scientific suppliers as a "research chemical" in a lyophilized powder form, intended strictly for laboratory and scientific research applications, not human consumption.