TY - JOUR AU - Koczulla, Rembert AU - von Degenfeld, Georges AU - Kupatt, Christian AU - Krötz, Florian AU - Zahler, Stefan AU - Gloe, Torsten AU - Issbrücker, Katja AU - Unterberger, Pia AU - Zaiou, Mohamed AU - Lebherz, Corinna AU - Karl, Alexander AU - Raake, Philip AU - Pfosser, Achim AU - Boekstegers, Peter AU - Welsch, Ulrich AU - Hiemstra, Pieter S. AU - Vogelmeier, Claus AU - Gallo, Richard L. AU - Clauss, Matthias AU - Bals, Robert T1 - An angiogenic role for the human peptide antibiotic LL-37/hCAP-18 PY - 2003/06/01/ AB - Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules of the innate immune system and contribute to host defense and regulation of inflammation. The human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37/hCAP-18 is expressed in leukocytes and epithelial cells and secreted into wound and airway surface fluid. Here we show that LL-37 induces angiogenesis mediated by formyl peptide receptor–like 1 expressed on endothelial cells. Application of LL-37 resulted in neovascularization in the chorioallantoic membrane assay and in a rabbit model of hind-limb ischemia. The peptide directly activates endothelial cells, resulting in increased proliferation and formation of vessel-like structures in cultivated endothelial cells. Decreased vascularization during wound repair in mice deficient for CRAMP, the murine homologue of LL-37/hCAP-18, shows that cathelicidin-mediated angiogenesis is important for cutaneous wound neovascularization in vivo. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that LL-37/hCAP-18 is a multifunctional antimicrobial peptide with a central role in innate immunity by linking host defense and inflammation with angiogenesis and arteriogenesis. JF - The Journal of Clinical Investigation JA - J Clin Invest SN - 0021-9738 DO - 10.1172/JCI17545 VL - 111 IS - 11 UR - https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI17545 SP - 1665 EP - 1672 PB - The American Society for Clinical Investigation ER -