Biosurfactants: Potential applications as immunomodulator drugs

Biosurfactants (BSs) molecules are classically branded as emulsifiers of hydrocarbon compounds and are extensively applied in several fields including pharmaceutics, food processing, biodegradation, bioremediation, cosmetics, and pest control management. Due to the amphiphilic and surface-active properties, BS interacts with lipid membranes of the cell and alters its physio-chemical nature. As a result, various biological functions of the target cells are lost. In recent times, several studies have shown antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticancer potentials of BS molecules. BS primarily destroy bacterial cells by directly disrupting the integrity of the plasma membrane or cell wall. Whereas, their antiviral action seems to be due to their physicochemical interaction with the virus lipid envelope. However, antiproliferative potency of BSs make them a potential anticancer agent. BS can induce cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and metastasis arrest in tumour cells with no influence on non-tumour cells. Interestingly, BS molecules also demonstrate immunomodulatory activities either by suppression or activation of immune system. The advantages of BS over their chemical counterparts are their biocompatibility, high biodegradability, high specificity and low toxicity. Moreover, chemical diversity, environmentally friendly nature and, suitability for large-scale production has bestowed BS many future applications. This review presents, in a systematic manner, the interference of BS of various classes including glycolipids, phospholipids and lipopeptides with the activities or mechanism of action of immune response. Also, we shed lights on how such biological activities of BSs make them a new class of therapeutic molecules for combating various immune disorders.