Abstract

UNRAVELING THE ROLE OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES IN PERIODONTITIS- A CONCISE REVIEW

K. Malathi, G. Sandhya, C. Hima Bindu Reddy*, Varshini S., Suman Taki and Kiruthika A.

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Abstract

Immune responses are protective responses by the host to the presence of invading organisms, their antigens, and their toxins. Periodontal health is maintained by a delicate balance by the host immunity with the maintenance of the immune response in an impeccable homeostatic state. A wide variety of host proteins have been shown to have antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial peptides like defensins, cathelicidin, saposins, histatin and many others will come under immune proteins. Antimicrobial immune proteins play a major role in acting as the first line of epithelial defense and this review discusses some of the host proteins with its antimicrobial activity.

Keywords: Periodontitis, Antimicrobial peptides, Defensins.