A new cryptic host defense peptide identified in human 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 ?-like: from in silico identification to experimental evidence

Host defence peptides (HDPs) are evolutionarily conserved components of innate immunity. Human HDPs, produced by a variety of immune cells of hematopoietic and epithelial origin, are generally grouped into two families: beta structured defensins and variably-structured cathelicidins. We report the characterization of a very promising cryptic human HDP, here called GVF27, identified in 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 ?-like protein.