scholarly journals Nanosystems as Vehicles for the Delivery of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs)

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ángela Martin-Serrano ◽  
Rafael Gómez ◽  
Paula Ortega ◽  
F. Javier de la Mata
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Host Defence ◽  
Viable Alternative ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Low Solubility

Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also called host defence peptides (HDPs), are attracting great interest, as they are a highly viable alternative in the search of new approaches to the resistance presented by bacteria against antibiotics in infectious diseases. However, due to their nature, they present a series of disadvantages such as low bioavailability, easy degradability by proteases, or low solubility, among others, which limits their use as antimicrobial agents. For all these reasons, the use of vehicles for the delivery of AMPs, such as polymers, nanoparticles, micelles, carbon nanotubes, dendrimers, and other types of systems, allows the use of AMPs as a real alternative to treatment with antibiotics.

Antimicrobial Peptides: A Promising Avenue for Human Healthcare

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girish M. Bhopale
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Antimicrobial Drugs ◽  
Spectrum Activity ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Human Healthcare ◽  
Broad Spectrum Activity ◽  
Promising Avenue

Antimicrobial drugs resistant microbes have been observed worldwide and therefore alternative development of antimicrobial peptides has gained interest in human healthcare. Enormous progress has been made in the development of antimicrobial peptide during the last decade due to major advantages of AMPs such as broad-spectrum activity and low levels of induced resistance over the current antimicrobial agents. This review briefly provides various categories of AMP, their physicochemical properties and mechanism of action which governs their penetration into microbial cell. Further, the recent information on current status of antimicrobial peptide development, their applications and perspective in human healthcare are also described.

Present trends in the encapsulation of anticancer drugs

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Montané ◽  
Karolina Matulewicz ◽  
Karolina Balik ◽  
Paulina Modrakowska ◽  
Marcin Łuczak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Drug Toxicity ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Polymeric Micelles ◽  
Drug Loading ◽  
The Body ◽  
Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽  
Hybrid Nanoparticles ◽  
Traditional Medicines ◽  
Low Solubility

Abstract Different nanomedicine devices that were developed during the recent years can be suitable candidates for their application in the treatment of various deadly diseases such as cancer. From all the explored devices, the nanoencapsulation of several anticancer medicines is a very promising approach to overcome some drawbacks of traditional medicines: administered dose of the drugs, drug toxicity, low solubility of drugs, uncontrolled drug delivery, resistance offered by the physiological barriers in the body to drugs, among others. In this chapter, the most important and recent progress in the encapsulation of anticancer medicines is examined: methods of preparation of distinct nanoparticles (inorganic nanoparticles, dendrimers, biopolymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes, polymersomes, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and hybrid nanoparticles), drug loading and drug release mechanisms. Furthermore, the possible applications in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and cancer therapy of some of these nanoparticles have been highlighted.

scholarly journals Beneficial Impacts of Incorporating the Non-Natural Amino Acid Azulenyl-Alanine into the Trp-Rich Antimicrobial Peptide buCATHL4B

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Areetha R. D’Souza ◽  
Matthew R. Necelis ◽  
Alona Kulesha ◽  
Gregory A. Caputo ◽  
Olga V. Makhlynets
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Bactericidal Activity ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Human Cells ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Natural Amino Acid ◽  
Proteolytic Stability

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) present a promising scaffold for the development of potent antimicrobial agents. Substitution of tryptophan by non-natural amino acid Azulenyl-Alanine (AzAla) would allow studying the mechanism of action of AMPs by using unique properties of this amino acid, such as ability to be excited separately from tryptophan in a multi-Trp AMPs and environmental insensitivity. In this work, we investigate the effect of Trp→AzAla substitution in antimicrobial peptide buCATHL4B (contains three Trp side chains). We found that antimicrobial and bactericidal activity of the original peptide was preserved, while cytocompatibility with human cells and proteolytic stability was improved. We envision that AzAla will find applications as a tool for studies of the mechanism of action of AMPs. In addition, incorporation of this non-natural amino acid into AMP sequences could enhance their application properties.

scholarly journals The Lactococcal dgkB (yecE) and dxsA Genes for Lipid Metabolism Are Involved in the Resistance to Cell Envelope-Acting Antimicrobials

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1014
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Tymoszewska ◽  
Tamara Aleksandrzak-Piekarczyk
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Membrane Targeting ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Lipid Ii

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria led to an urgent need for next-generation antimicrobial agents with novel mechanisms of action. The use of positively charged antimicrobial peptides that target cytoplasmic membrane is an especially promising strategy since essential functions and the conserved structure of the membrane hinder the development of bacterial resistance. Aureocin A53- and enterocin L50-like bacteriocins are highly cationic, membrane-targeting antimicrobial peptides that have potential as next-generation antibiotics. However, the mechanisms of resistance to these bacteriocins and cross-resistance against antibiotics must be examined before application to ensure their safe use. Here, in the model bacterium Lactococcus lactis, we studied the development of resistance to selected aureocin A53- and enterocin L50-like bacteriocins and its correlation with antibiotics. First, to generate spontaneous resistant mutants, L.lactis was exposed to bacteriocin BHT-B. Sequencing of their genomes revealed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the dgkB (yecE) and dxsA genes encoding diacylglycerol kinase and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase, respectively. Then, selected mutants underwent susceptibility tests with a wide array of bacteriocins and antibiotics. The highest alterations in the sensitivity of studied mutants were seen in the presence of cytoplasmic membrane targeting bacteriocins (K411, Ent7, EntL50, WelM, SalC, nisin) and antibiotics (daptomycin and gramicidin) as well as lipid II cycle-blocking bacteriocins (nisin and Lcn972) and antibiotics (bacitracin). Interestingly, decreased via the SNPs accumulation sensitivity to membrane-active bacteriocins and antibiotics resulted in the concurrently increased vulnerability to bacitracin, carbenicillin, or chlortetracycline. It is suspected that SNPs may result in alterations to the efficiency of the nascent enzymes rather than a total loss of their function as neither deletion nor overexpression of dxsA restored the phenotype observed in spontaneous mutants.

2015 Nelson's Pediatric Antimicrobial Therapy

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Antimicrobial Therapy ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Dosing Regimens

New! This bestselling and widely used resource on pediatric antimicrobial therapy provides instant access to reliable, up-to-the-minute recommendations for treatment of all infectious diseases in children. For each disease, the authors provide a commentary to help health care providers select the best of all antimicrobial choices. Drug descriptions cover all antimicrobial agents available today, and include complete information about dosing regimens. In response to growing concerns about overuse of antibiotics, the book includes guidelines on when not to prescribe antimicrobials. Key 21st edition features! Contents

scholarly journals Membrane interactions and antimicrobial effects of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (35) ◽  
pp. 23832-23842 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Malekkhaiat Häffner ◽  
L. Nyström ◽  
R. Nordström ◽  
Z. P. Xu ◽  
M. Davoudi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Layered Double Hydroxide ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽  
Membrane Interactions ◽  
Antimicrobial Effects ◽  
Double Hydroxide ◽  
Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles

Membrane interactions are critical for the successful use of inorganic nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents and as carriers of, or co-actives with, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).

scholarly journals Light and Phages on Tackle of Infectious Diseases

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe de Paula Nogueira Cruz ◽  
Andréa Cristina Bogas ◽  
Cristina Paiva de Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Microbial Inactivation ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Bacteriophage Therapy ◽  
Drug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories ◽  
Efficient Alternative ◽  
Emergence Of Resistance ◽  
Inducing Resistance

There has been an important increase in the emergence of resistance in microbial population worldwide. This trajectory needs, necessarily new approaches to treat infectious diseases. The ability to detect and prevent the evolutionary trajectories of microbial resistance would be of value. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) represents an efficient alternative treatment for diseases caused by viruses, which can cause infections well documented in various mammals. PDI can kill cells after exposure with the appropriate photosensitizer (PS), light of adequate wavelength combined with the presence of oxygen, without inducing resistance. Cytotoxic reactive species formed interaction with vital biomolecules leading to irreversible microbial inactivation. Bacteriophages can act on delivering antimicrobial agents into bacteria, which consist in a likely instrument for the treatment of infectious diseases. Non-enveloped bacteriophages are more difficult to tolerate photoinactivation than enveloped phages, which makes them an important model tool to evaluate the efficiency of PDI therapy against viruses that cause diseases in humans. Combination of photosensitizers and bacteriophage therapy can be employed to eradicate biofilms, contributing to control of infections also caused by drug-resistant bacteria.

scholarly journals The Principles of Antibody Therapy for Infectious Diseases with Relevance for COVID-19

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Casadevall ◽  
Liise-anne Pirofski ◽  
Michael J. Joyner
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Antibody Therapy ◽  
Course Of Disease ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
History Of ◽  
Serum Therapy ◽  
Effective Lessons ◽  
Further Development

ABSTRACT Antibody therapies such as convalescent plasma and monoclonal antibodies have emerged as major potential therapeutics for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Immunoglobulins differ from conventional antimicrobial agents in that they mediate direct and indirect antimicrobial effects that work in concert with other components of the immune system. The field of infectious diseases pioneered antibody therapies in the first half of the 20th century but largely abandoned them with the arrival of conventional antimicrobial therapy. Consequently, much of the knowledge gained from the historical development and use of immunoglobulins such as serum and convalescent antibody therapies was forgotten; principles and practice governing their use were not taught to new generations of medical practitioners, and further development of this modality stalled. This became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 when convalescent plasma was initially deployed as salvage therapy in patients with severe disease. In retrospect, this was a stage of disease when it was less likely to be effective. Lessons of the past tell us that antibody therapy is most likely to be effective when used early in respiratory diseases. This article puts forth three principles of antibody therapy, namely, specificity, temporal, and quantitative principles, connoting that antibody efficacy requires the administration of specific antibody, given early in course of disease in sufficient amount. These principles are traced to the history of serum therapy for infectious diseases. The application of the specificity, temporal, and quantitative principles to COVID-19 is discussed in the context of current use of antibody therapy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

scholarly journals Scorpion Venom Antimicrobial Peptides Induce Siderophore Biosynthesis and Oxidative Stress Responses in Escherichia coli

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed M. Tawfik ◽  
Magnus Bertelsen ◽  
Mohamed A. Abdel-Rahman ◽  
Peter N. Strong ◽  
Keith Miller
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Venom Gland ◽  
Cation Transport ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Initial Starting ◽  
Increased Susceptibility

ABSTRACT The increasing development of microbial resistance to classical antimicrobial agents has led to the search for novel antimicrobials. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from scorpion and snake venoms offer an attractive source for the development of novel therapeutics. Smp24 (24 amino acids [aa]) and Smp43 (43 aa) are broad-spectrum AMPs that have been identified from the venom gland of the Egyptian scorpion Scorpio maurus palmatus and subsequently characterized. Using a DNA microarray approach, we examined the transcriptomic responses of Escherichia coli to subinhibitory concentrations of Smp24 and Smp43 peptides following 5 h of incubation. Seventy-two genes were downregulated by Smp24, and 79 genes were downregulated by Smp43. Of these genes, 14 genes were downregulated in common and were associated with bacterial respiration. Fifty-two genes were specifically upregulated by Smp24. These genes were predominantly related to cation transport, particularly iron transport. Three diverse genes were independently upregulated by Smp43. Strains with knockouts of differentially regulated genes were screened to assess the effect on susceptibility to Smp peptides. Ten mutants in the knockout library had increased levels of resistance to Smp24. These genes were predominantly associated with cation transport and binding. Two mutants increased resistance to Smp43. There was no cross-resistance in mutants resistant to Smp24 or Smp43. Five mutants showed increased susceptibility to Smp24, and seven mutants showed increased susceptibility to Smp43. Of these mutants, formate dehydrogenase knockout (fdnG) resulted in increased susceptibility to both peptides. While the electrostatic association between pore-forming AMPs and bacterial membranes followed by integration of the peptide into the membrane is the initial starting point, it is clear that there are numerous subsequent additional intracellular mechanisms that contribute to their overall antimicrobial effect. IMPORTANCE The development of life-threatening resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the antibiotics typically in use in hospitals and the community today has led to an urgent need to discover novel antimicrobial agents with different mechanisms of action. As an ancient host defense mechanism of the innate immune system, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attractive candidates to fill that role. Scorpion venoms have proven to be a rich source of AMPs. Smp24 and Smp43 are new AMPs that have been identified from the venom gland of the Egyptian scorpion Scorpio maurus palmatus, and these peptides can kill a wide range of bacterial pathogens. By better understanding how these AMPs affect bacterial cells, we can modify their structure to make better drugs in the future.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document