Antimicrobial-wound healing peptides: Dual-function molecules for the treatment of skin injuries

Chronic non-healing wounds caused by microbial infections extend the necessity for hospital care and constitute a public health problem and a great financial burden. Classic therapies include a wide range of approaches, from wound debridement to vascular surgery. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a preserved trait of the innate immune response among different animal species, with known effects on the immune system and microorganisms. Thus, AMPs may represent promising candidates for the treatment of chronic wounds with dual functionality in two of the main agents that lead to this condition, proliferation of microorganisms and uncontrolled inflammation. Here, our goal is to critically review AMPs with wound healing properties. We strongly believe that these dual-function peptides alone, or in combination with other wound healing strategies, constitute an underexplored field that researchers can take advantage of.