Figure 1.

The main characteristics of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their roles in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. AMPs are an integral part of the skin defense generated by keratinocytes and neutrophils. AMPs are induced by exogenous and endogenous stimuli and have antimicrobial functions. AMPs are mostly characterized as small amphipathic cationic peptides. In psoriasis, AMPs regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. They act as “alarmins” or DAMPs to stimulate plasmacytoid dendritic cells and prime keratinocytes for inflammation through pattern recognition receptors and subsequently initiate the Th17-dominated adaptive immune response. AMPs also have close clinical relevance to psoriasis. DAMPs: Damage-associated molecular patterns; IL: Interleukin; NB-UVB: Narrowband ultraviolet B; NET: Neutrophil extracellular trap; pDCs: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells; RAGE: Receptor for advanced glycation end products; TLR: Toll-like receptor; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor.