Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34988298›Full record

ArticleBiochemistry and biophysics reports2022

The antimicrobial peptide LL-37 triggers release of apoptosis-inducing factor and shows direct effects on mitochondria.

Elisabeth Bankell, Xiaoyan Liu, Martin Lundqvist, Daniel Svensson, Karl Swärd, Emma Sparr, Bengt-Olof Nilsson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biochemistry and biophysics reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 22% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Peptide-Based Strategies AgainstPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Human antimicrobial/host defense peptide LL-37 may prevent the spread of a local infection through multiple mechanisms: an update.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Elisabeth BankellDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D12, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden.
Xiaoyan LiuDivision of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden.
Martin LundqvistDivision of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden.
Daniel SvenssonDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D12, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden.
Karl SwärdDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D12, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden.
Emma SparrDivision of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden.
Bengt-Olof NilssonDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D12, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden.
Lund University · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 permeabilizes the plasma membrane of host cells, but LL-37-induced direct effects on mitochondrial membrane permeability and function has not been reported. Here, we demonstrate that LL-37 is rapidly (within 20 min) internalized by human osteoblast-like MG63 cells, and that the peptide co-localizes with MitoTracker arguing for accumulation in mitochondria. Subcellular fractionation and Western blot disclose that stimulation with LL-37 (8 μM) for 2 h triggers release of the mitochondrial protein apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) to the cytosol, whereas LL-37 causes no release of cytochrome C oxidase subunit IV of the inner mitochondrial membrane, suggesting that LL-37 affects mitochondrial membrane permeability in a specific manner. Next, we investigated release of AIF and cytochrome C from isolated mitochondria by measuring immunoreactivity by dot blot. The media of mitochondria treated with LL-37 (8 μM) for 2 h contained 50% more AIF and three times more cytochrome C than that of control mitochondria, showing that LL-37 promotes release of both AIF and cytochrome C. Moreover, in vesicles reflecting mitochondrial membrane lipid composition, LL-37 stimulates membrane permeabilization and release of tracer molecules. We conclude that LL-37 is rapidly internalized by MG63 cells and accumulates in mitochondria, and that the peptide triggers release of pro-apoptotic AIF and directly affects mitochondrial membrane structural properties.

Indexed as

ApoptosisCathelicidinInnate immunityMitochondriaMitochondria model membranes

Identifiers

PMID34988298
PMCPMC8695256
OpenAlexW4200617829

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.