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Using adjuvants and environmental factors to modulate the activity of antimicrobial peptides
1Loyola University New Orleans, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States.
Abstract:
The increase in antibiotic resistant and multi-drug resistant bacterial infections has serious implications for the future of health care. The difficulty in finding both new microbial targets and new drugs against existing targets adds to the concern. The use of combination and adjuvant therapies are potential strategies to counter this threat. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising class of antibiotics (ABs), particularly for topical and surface applications. Efforts have been directed toward a number of strategies, including the use of conventional ABs combined with AMPs, and the use of potentiating agents to increase the performance of AMPs. This review focuses on combination strategies such as adjuvants and the manipulation of environmental variables to improve the efficacy of AMPs as potential therapeutic agents. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antimicrobial peptides edited by Karl Lohner and Kai Hilpert.
Insights
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show promise against resistant bacteria. Combining AMPs with other therapies or modifying their environment can enhance their effectiveness as novel antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Rising antibiotic resistance and multi-drug resistance pose significant threats to global healthcare.
- Discovering novel antimicrobial targets and drugs is challenging, necessitating alternative therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review combination strategies and environmental manipulations for enhancing the efficacy of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).
- To explore the potential of AMPs as therapeutic agents, particularly for topical applications, in combating resistant bacterial infections.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and combination therapies.
- Analysis of strategies involving conventional antibiotics combined with AMPs.
- Examination of adjuvant therapies and environmental variable manipulation to boost AMP performance.
Main Results:
- Combination therapies, including conventional antibiotics with AMPs, show potential.
- Adjuvants and environmental modifications can significantly improve AMP efficacy.
- AMPs are particularly promising for topical and surface-related antimicrobial applications.
Conclusions:
- Combination strategies are crucial for overcoming antimicrobial resistance.
- Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a viable therapeutic avenue, especially when their application is optimized.
- Further research into AMP-based combination therapies is warranted to address the growing threat of resistant bacterial infections.
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