In fact, administration of citrullinated LL-37 plus endotoxin actually exacerbated sepsis due to the inability of LL-37 to neutralize LPS and the subsequent enhancement of systemic inflammation due to increased serum levels of IL-6.
SIC 1.84 bound both human and murine cathelicidins and was necessary and sufficient to promote covS mutant M1T1 GAS resistance to LL-37, growth in human whole blood and virulence in a murine model of systemic infection.
We propose that the natural human host defense peptide LL-37 plays roles in the delicate balancing of inflammatory responses in homeostasis as well as in combating sepsis induced by certain TLR agonists.