Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) from Fish Epidermis: Perspectives for Investigative Dermatology

Abstract

Mammalian and fish skin share protective activities against environments that are rich in infectious agents. Fish epidermis is endowed with an extrinsic barrier consisting of a mucus layer and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). These operate together as a protective chemical shield. As these AMPs are evolutionarily well preserved and also found in higher vertebrate skin (including human epidermis), fish skin offers a unique opportunity to study the origins of innate antimicrobial defense systems. Furthermore, the broad spectrum of fish mucus antimicrobial activities renders piscine AMPs interesting to investigative dermatology, as these may become exploitable for various indications in clinical dermatology. Therefore, this article aims at casting light on fish mucus, the evolutionary relationship between human and fish AMPs, and the latter's antibacterial, antifungal, and even antiviral activities. Moreover, we develop dermatological lessons from, and sketch potential future clinical applications of, fish mucus and piscine AMPs.

Multicolor Cell Barcoding Technology for Long-Term Surveillance of Epithelial Regeneration in Zebrafish

“…Fish epidermis is a simple stratified epithelium without keratinized layers, covered by transparent mucus (Rakers et al, 2013). This anatomy optimizes optical resolution of fluorescence imaging by reducing light scattering and absorption, obstacles that are often associated with deep tissue imaging (Figure 1A).…”

Immunomodulatory effect of cathelicidins in response to a β-glucan in intestinal epithelial cells from rainbow trout

“…In teleosts, HDPs are generally found in mucosal linings such as skin, gills and intestine, suggesting an important role in mucosal immunity (Masso-Silva and Diamond, 2014;Rakers et al, 2013). However, fish HDPs have been poorly considered as potential immunological markers in response to immunostimulants.…”

Structural Insights into and Activity Analysis of the Antimicrobial Peptide Myxinidin

“…The mucus layer provides mechanical protective functions, but the prevention of colonization by parasites, bacteria, and fungi is also complemented by the molecules present in the mucus having antimicrobial characteristics. Thus, fish are a good source of AMPs, including defensins, cathelicidins, hepcidins, histone-derived peptides, and piscidins (12,13).…”