sfTSLP (60 aa peptide) is an antibacterial peptide derived as the 60 amino acid sequence of the short form of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (sfTSLP). Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a cytokine first identified in a mouse model as a B-cell growth factor produced by a thymic stromal cell line. Two transcript variants of human TSLP are described: a long form of TSLP (lfTSLP, variant 1) and an alternative, short form (sfTSLP, variant 2). The sequence of sfTSLP has two potential starting methionines that can give rise to either a 63 or a 60aa peptide. Compared with lfTSLP, sfTSLP possesses stronger antibacterial activity and appears to act as an antimicrobial peptide in the oral cavity and on the skin to create a defense barrier that aids in the control microbes.
