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Skin antibiotics get in the loop

Epithelial peptides called defensins can kill microbes directly. New data reveal another function for some of these host antibiotics—enhancement of the innate immune response.

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Figure 1: β-Defensin 2: Carrier or ligand? Immature DCs are induced to mature by interacting with bacterial products such as LPS via engagement of Toll-like receptors on the surface of the DCs.

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Kopp, E., Medzhitov, R. Skin antibiotics get in the loop. Nat Med 8, 1359–1360 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1202-1359

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