Tackling Sepsis Using Host Defense Peptides That Reduce Proinflammatory Cytokine Production

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's dysregulated inflammatory response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. Early and late mediators of sepsis are lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from bacteria and the alarmin high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), respectively. In this Perspective, the role of host defense peptides (HDPs) in reducing proinflammatory cytokines tied to sepsis is presented. The multimodal bactericidal and immunomodulatory activities of HDPs imbue these molecules with tremendous therapeutic potential to tackle the leading cause of death worldwide.