Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Author Spotlight: An Efficient Methodology to Confidently Differentiate and Characterize Fentanyl Analogs
Published on: November 8, 2024
Structure-Dependent Immune Modulatory Activity of Protegrin-1 Analogs
Susu M Zughaier1, Pavel Svoboda2, Jan Pohl2
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA ; Laboratories of Microbial Pathogenesis, Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, GA 30033, USA.
Abstract:
Protegrins are porcine antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that belong to the cathelicidin family of host defense peptides. Protegrin-1 (PG-1), the most investigated member of the protegrin family, is an arginine-rich peptide consisting of 18 amino acid residues, its main chain adopting a β-hairpin structure that is linked by two disulfide bridges. We report on the immune modulatory activity of PG-1 and its analogs in neutralizing bacterial endotoxin and capsular polysaccharides, consequently inhibiting inflammatory mediators' release from macrophages. We demonstrate that the β-hairpin structure motif stabilized with at least one disulfide bridge is a prerequisite for the immune modulatory activity of this type of AMP.
Related Concept Videos
Active versus Passive Immunity
Active Immunity
Active immunity refers to the resistance one develops...
What is the Immune System?
Antibody Structure
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence...
Humoral Immune Responses
Cholinergic Antagonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

