Background
The main families of AMPs in mammals comprise the defensins and the cathelicidins, and the only endogenous cathelicidin in human is hCAP18/LL-37. LL-37 not only exhibits potent antimicrobial activities for a broad spectrum of pathogens including bacteria, viruses and parasites, but also possesses additional functions important for inflammation and modulation of the immune system (1).
Arachidonic acid (AA) is released from phospholipids by phospholipases A2 (PLA2), and metabolism of AA leads to several families of lipid mediators collectively known as eicosanoids, including prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes, leukotrienes (LTs), and lipoxins (LXs). Eicosanoids interact with specific G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) to exert their potent biological effects, such as regulation of fever, pain, blood pressure, renal function reproduction, and so on (2). Moreover, eicosanoids also play an important role in regulating innate immunity and host defense of mammals. Interestingly, our preliminary results provided the evidence that prostaglandins and leukotrienes regulate the expression of hCAP18/LL-37 in human macrophages. In this project, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms how eicosanoids regulate the expression of AMPs in macrophages and the pathophysiological relevance to pathogen killing.

Materials and Methods:
1) RT-PCR: to detect the expression of mRNA and microRNA.
2) Western blots, ELISA, FACS and confocal microscopy: to analyze or visualize the protein expression.
3) Cell culture: human primary monocytes will be isolated from human blood and continue to be cultured to mature macrophages. The monocyte-like cell line MM6 also will be used.
4) Specific gene depletion in macrophages will be undertaken by using shRNA.

There is a chance to learn how to write scientific manuscript and the peer-review process.

Reference
1) Mansour, S.C., O.M. Pena, and R.E. Hancock, Host defense peptides: front-line immunomodulators. Trends Immunol, 2014. 35(9): p. 443-50.
2) Haeggstrom, J.Z. and C.D. Funk, Lipoxygenase and leukotriene pathways: biochemistry, biology, and roles in disease. Chem Rev, 2011. 111(10): p. 5866-98.