Dermcidin (DCD) (DCD)

Dermcidin (DCD) is a gene encoding a 110-amino acid precursor protein primarily expressed in the eccrine sweat glands and secreted into sweat as a key component of the skin's constitutive innate immune system (UniProt P81605). Upon secretion, the precursor is proteolytically processed into several biologically active peptides, most notably DCD-1L, which exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses by forming ion channels in microbial membranes (Schittek et al., 2001, PubMed 11713461; Drug Target Review, 2026). Beyond its antimicrobial role, Dermcidin is frequently overexpressed in various malignancies, including breast, prostate, and hepatocellular carcinomas, where it functions as an oncogenic survival factor that promotes cell proliferation and confers resistance to apoptosis (Porter et al., 2003, PubMed 12646131; Brauer et al., 2014, PubMed 24705354). Recent research has also identified Dermcidin as a myokine released during skeletal muscle ischemia that can exacerbate cardiomyocyte apoptosis following myocardial infarction (Esposito et al., 2015, PubMed 26101262). While no FDA-approved therapies currently target Dermcidin, experimental strategies utilizing antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to silence Dermcidin mRNA have shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth and reducing infarct size in preclinical models (Stewart et al., 2007, PubMed 17631503). Additionally, supplementation with the pro-dermcidin precursor is being explored as a potential therapeutic approach for sepsis (NIH, 2025).

Other names

PreproteolysinDCD-1AIDPSurvival-promoting peptideProteolysis-inducing factorPIFDiffusible survival evasion peptideDSEP

Inhibition of mRNA translation via RNA interference or antisense-mediated degradation; neutralization by antibodies; supplementation of precursor protein