Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Author Spotlight: Scalable Drug Screening Protocol for Efficient Discovery of M. abscessus Treatments
Published on: October 25, 2024
Antimicrobial peptides and proteins in mycobacterial therapy: current status and future prospects
Avinash Padhi1, Mitali Sengupta1, Srabasti Sengupta1
1School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.
Abstract:
Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease caused by the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), kills about 1.5 million people every year worldwide. An increase in the prevalence of drug-resistant strains of Mtb in the last few decades now necessitates the development of novel drugs that combat infections by both drug-sensitive and resistant Mtb. Moreover, as Mtb can persist in host cells by modulating their immune responses, it is essential that anti-TB agents be able to penetrate macrophages and kill the pathogen intracellularly without harming the host cells. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and proteins are being harnessed as anti-infective agents for the treatment of various diseases. Due to their direct and rapid bactericidal activity it is unlikely that pathogens acquire resistance against AMPs. Several short and potent AMP derivatives have been prepared by peptide engineering, and several of them are currently evaluated in clinical trials. The present review summarizes the role of endogenously expressed AMPs and proteins in the treatment of tuberculosis infections. In addition, mechanisms of direct anti-mycobacterial activity, manipulation of host immune responses, and future prospects of AMPs as therapeutic agents are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

