Advances of Antimicrobial Peptides in the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

Drug-resistant bacteria have become one of the greatest threats to human health in recent decades. With the large-scale abuse of antibiotics, bacteria resistant to traditional antibiotics are becoming increasingly common while clinical options for treating refractory infections are rapidly diminishing. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics, exhibit unique antibacterial mechanisms and potent antimicrobial activity. In recent years, numerous AMPs have been identified and validated in laboratory settings for their efficacy against the 'ESKAPE' pathogens, including Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species. Although the clinical translation of AMPs is currently hindered by challenges such as stability, toxicity, and production costs, advances in biotechnology and continued research are paving the way for their development as promising alternatives for treating drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens. This review focuses on summarizing AMPs with demonstrated efficacy against ESKAPE pathogens and explores their clinical application potential, aiming to provide insights for future AMP research and therapeutic development.