CAP37, A NEUTROPHIL-DERIVED MULTIFUNCTIONAL INFLAMMATORY MEDIATOR

Cationic antimicrobial protein of M(r) 37 kDa (CAP37) is a multifuncti onal protein isolated from the granules of human neutrophils, which ha s important implications in host defense and inflammation, CAP37 was i nitially recognized for its strong antibiotic activity against Gram-ne gative bacteria and was viewed as a component of the oxygen-independen t killing mechanism of the neutrophil, However, we now know that CAP37 has more far reaching and important functions, It is a physiological protein released during inflammation with a high potential of regulati ng monocyte/macrophage functions, such as chemotaxis, increased surviv al, and differentiation, Recently, it has been demonstrated that CAP37 binds endotoxin, It has the structure of a serine esterase but lacks enzymatic activity, The bactericidal and endotoxin binding domains of the molecule have been delineated, The identification of functional pe ptides should provide new insight into the mechanisms of endotoxin bin ding, antimicrobial activity, and chemotaxis and in the long term prov ide key insights into therapies for treating infections and endotoxic shock.