Assessment of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 as a biomarker for oral disease: importance of vitamin D

We have demonstrated that the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is present in human saliva and salivary glands of healthy individuals, and that vitamin D triggers LL-37 production in epithelial cells. In this project, we assess LL-37 levels in saliva from patients with oral disease and healthy controls, and investigate the impact of vitamin D on salivary LL-37.