Beta-defensin 134 (DEFB134)

Beta-defensin 134 (DEFB134) is a member of the beta-defensin family, a group of small, cationic, disulfide-rich peptides broadly implicated in innate immunity. Beta-defensins are chiefly expressed in epithelial surfaces where they protect against microbial colonization and infection. The beta-defensins exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, disrupting membranes of bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative), fungi, and some enveloped viruses, primarily through pore formation and membrane depolarization. Several beta-defensins, including those closely related to DEFB134, also possess immunomodulatory roles, such as chemoattractant activity for immune cells and enhancement of the adaptive immune response. While beta-defensins are a fundamental component of the innate immune system, DEFB134 itself is not currently a therapeutic target, and there are no approved drugs or clinical biomarkers based on this peptide. Most of the research and clinical focus on beta-defensins as targets or biomarkers pertains to other, more extensively characterized family members (e.g., DEFB1, DEFB4A/HBD-2).

Other names

Beta-defensin 134DEFB134Defensin, beta 134Beta-defensin 135 (potential confusion in naming/annotation; some sources may annotate this as a separate isoform or ortholog)

Not applicable; no drugs target DEFB134.