Combination of antimicrobial peptide and clinical antibiotic shows enhanced potency toward Acinetobacter baumannii...

The continued development of novel antimicrobial treatment strategies is crucial for maintaining an effective therapeutic arsenal, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit promising activities against a wide range of pathogens. In this study, we tested the combined effects of an AMP, TP4-3, and meropenem on Acinetobacter baumannii, which is responsible for many severe infections and is associated with high rates of overall mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to develop an effective combination therapy for microbial infections. TP4-3 and meropenem were found to act synergistically toward Acinetobacter baumannii and exhibit an activity profile better than those of the individual compounds. TP4-3 is an antimicrobial peptide with proven activity, low toxicity and extended stability. This AMP was combined with meropenem and tested for efficacy against A. baumannii using a panel of in vitro and in vivo tests. The combination of TP4-3 and meropenem exhibited robust activity against Acinetobacter baumannii pathogens. In particular, the combined treatment demonstrated significant antibiofilm properties and a lower degree of induced resistance than meropenem alone. Additionally, the combination showed an excellent activity profile in in vivo studies. Thus, the combination of TP4-3 and meropenem appears to be an effective strategy to mitigate the detrimental consequences of infections caused by this clinically relevant pathogen. Since the combination of TP4-3 and meropenem displayed better activity than the individual compounds, this strategy of combining AMPs with clinical antibiotics may be suitable for development of clinical treatments targeting various microbial infections.