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Histatins: Multifunctional Salivary Antimicrobial Peptides

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Antimicrobial Peptides and Innate Immunity

Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research ((PIR))

Abstract

In this chapter, we overview the plethora of properties that have been attributed to histatins including tannin binding, microbicidal activity, immunomodulatory activity, and the recently found stimulation of cell migration. Attention is in particular paid to the molecular mechanisms underlying these properties. We conclude that many properties of histatins can be explained by their physicochemical properties, which allows them to bind a variety of negatively charged molecules and surfaces. For instance, their cationic character is crucial for their membrane-disrupting activity, which forms the basis of their antimicrobial activity. The only function that cannot directly be predicted on the basis of their physicochemical features is the enhancement of wound healing which proceeds via canonical receptor-mediated cell signalling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Wim van ’t Hof, Menno J. Oudhoff & Enno C. I. Veerman

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  1. Wim van ’t Hof
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  2. Menno J. Oudhoff
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  3. Enno C. I. Veerman
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Correspondence to Enno C. I. Veerman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, 2300 RC, Netherlands

    Pieter S. Hiemstra

  2. Ctr for Infection & Immun. Amsterdam, Dept. Medical Microbiology, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Netherlands

    Sebastian A. J. Zaat

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Hof, W.v., Oudhoff, M.J., Veerman, E.C.I. (2013). Histatins: Multifunctional Salivary Antimicrobial Peptides. In: Hiemstra, P., Zaat, S. (eds) Antimicrobial Peptides and Innate Immunity. Progress in Inflammation Research. Springer, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-0541-4_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-0541-4_7

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