Host defence peptides-a bridge between the innate and adaptive immune responses.

At the interface of innate and adaptive immunity, host defence peptides have been shown to enhance the overall immune response, where peptide expression and activity map onto aspects of the response to infection. This includes the ability to chemoattract phagocytic and antigen-presenting cells, and regulate the host cytokine response. Effects of peptides on B- and T-lymphocyte function, including B-cell activation and antibody production, cytotoxic T-cell and natural-killer-cell killing, and T-helper cell function, are starting to demonstrate that some of these peptides are capable of directing a prolonged cellular and humoral response to a pathogen.