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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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BPI
bactericidal permeability increasing protein
Chromosome 20 · 20q11.23
NCBI Gene: 671Ensembl: ENSG00000101425.15HGNC: HGNC:1095UniProt: A0A2R8YDF1
73PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
negative regulation of macrophage activationlipopolysaccharide bindingextracellular exosomenegative regulation of interleukin-6 productionretinal degenerationalcohol drinkingasthmaacute tonsillitis
✦AI Summary

BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein) is a 55 kDa cationic antimicrobial protein primarily expressed in neutrophil azurophilic granules 1, with additional expression by mucosal epithelia and dermal fibroblasts 2. BPI's primary function is selective defense against Gram-negative bacteria through three complementary mechanisms: direct bactericidal activity, opsonization of bacteria for enhanced clearance, and potent endotoxin (LPS) neutralization 1. The protein's Gram-negative specificity results from its highly basic N-terminal domain's strong affinity for negatively charged lipopolysaccharides unique to Gram-negative outer membranes 3. BPI also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 production and reducing macrophage activation 2. Clinically, elevated plasma BPI correlates with sepsis severity and organ dysfunction 4, and BPI serves as a potential biomarker for disease activity in inflammatory conditions 5. Auto-antibodies against BPI are associated with chr20 Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and compromise innate immunity 1, suggesting pathogenic autoimmunity. BPI homologs are under biopharmaceutical development as novel anti-infective agents 6, with therapeutic potential in sepsis and inflammatory bowel disease 57.

Sources cited
1
BPI is expressed in azurophilic granules of neutrophils and mediates cytocidal, opsonic, and anti-inflammatory activity against Gram-negative bacteria; anti-BPI autoantibodies linked to P. aeruginosa infections
PMID: 34142075
2
BPI structure determined by X-ray crystallography; belongs to lipopolysaccharide-binding and lipid transport protein family
PMID: 12887307
3
BPI exhibits strong antimicrobial and endotoxin-neutralizing activity; expressed mainly in neutrophils with tissue expression by fibroblasts and epithelia; promotes bacterial killing and antigen delivery to dendritic cells
PMID: 17678885
4
BPI is an antimicrobial peptide with potent endotoxin-neutralizing activity; BPI homologs under biopharmaceutical development as anti-infective agents
PMID: 18838299
5
BPI attenuates local inflammatory response and decreases systemic toxicity of endotoxins; elevated in sepsis and may reflect severity of organ dysfunction
PMID: 26347737
6
BPI associated with inflammatory bowel disease due to altered expression or development of autoantibodies; potential biomarker of disease activity
PMID: 22950497
7
BPI expressed by human mucosal epithelia with surface expression and functional antibacterial and LPS-neutralizing activity; upregulated by lipoxins
PMID: 12887308
Disease Associationsⓘ20
retinal degenerationOpen Targets
0.31Weak
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.27Weak
asthmaOpen Targets
0.26Weak
acute tonsillitisOpen Targets
0.24Weak
infectionOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
cystic fibrosisOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
bacteriemiaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
systemic lupus erythematosusOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
X-linked lymphoproliferative diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
osteosarcomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
autoimmune diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
SepsisOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
inflammatory bowel disease (infantile ulcerative colitis) 31, autosomal recessiveOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
immunodeficiency 18Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
immunodeficiency 99 with hypogammaglobulinemia and autoimmune cytopeniasOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
immunodeficiency 105Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
immunodeficiency 97 with autoinflammationOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
autoinflammatory syndrome, familial, X-linked, Behcet-like 2Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
severe combined immunodeficiency due to LAT deficiencyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
immunodeficiency 57Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
ELANEProtein interaction100%MPOProtein interaction100%PRTN3Protein interaction100%AZU1Protein interaction96%RNASE3Protein interaction90%AMY1CProtein interaction85%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Ovary
0%
Lung
0%
Liver
0%
Brain
0%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
BPIELANEMPOPRTN3AZU1RNASE3AMY1C
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB1EWF · 1.70 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.01LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.79 [0.63–1.01]
RankingsWhere BPI stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #6,448of 20,598
    Most Researched73
  • #9,842of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.01
Genes detectedBPI
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).
PMID: 26303366
J Physiother · 2016
1.00
2
Structure of human BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein) and implications for related proteins.
PMID: 12887307
Biochem Soc Trans · 2003
0.90
3
Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) and BPI homologs at mucosal sites.
PMID: 18838299
Trends Immunol · 2008
0.80
4
Killing three birds with one BPI: Bactericidal, opsonic, and anti-inflammatory functions.
PMID: 34142075
J Transl Autoimmun · 2021
0.70
5
Development and validation of a UPLC-MS/MS method for rapid and simultaneous quantification of BPI-460372 and its metabolites BPI-460444 and BPI-460456 in human plasma.
PMID: 39265487
J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci · 2024
0.60