Nanomedicines for the Delivery of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs)

Abstract

Microbial infections are still among the major public health concerns since several yeasts and fungi, and other pathogenic microorganisms, are responsible for continuous growth of infections and drug resistance against bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance rate is fostering the need to develop new strategies against drug-resistant superbugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptide-based molecules of 5-100 amino acids in length, with potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. They are part of the innate immune system, which can represent a minimal risk of resistance development. These characteristics contribute to the description of these molecules as promising new molecules in the development of new antimicrobial drugs. However, efforts in developing new medicines have not resulted in any decrease of drug resistance yet. Thus, a technological approach on improving existing drugs is gaining special interest. Nanomedicine provides easy access to innovative carriers, which ultimately enable the design and development of targeted delivery systems of the most efficient drugs with increased efficacy and reduced toxicity. Based on performance, successful experiments, and considerable market prospects, nanotechnology will undoubtedly lead a breakthrough in biomedical field also for infectious diseases, as there are several nanotechnological approaches that exhibit important roles in restoring antibiotic activity against resistant bacteria.

Peptidomic Analysis of Skin Secretions of the Caribbean Frogs Leptodactylus insularum and Leptodactylus nesiotus (Leptodactylidae) Identifies an Ocellatin with Broad Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity

“…Similarly, the cationicity, hydrophobicity, and amphipathicity of HDPs may be selectively manipulated to increase their antimicrobial potency, while simultaneously reducing their cytotoxicity to mammalian cells [ 41 ]. Moreover, the use of suitable carriers and optimized delivery systems, such as inorganic materials, polymers, and self-assembly lipid-based and nanomaterial-based structures, has been reported for both the systemic and local application of AMPs (reviewed in [ 47 , 48 ]). Such approaches would be expected to increase AMP stability, controlled release, and reduced toxicity and simultaneously minimize the potential side effects and/or overcome undesired host immune responses, thus alleviating many of the challenges that AMPs face as therapeutic agents.…”

Nanotoxicology and Nanosafety: Safety-by-Design and Testing at a Glance

“…Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are currently one of the most studied nanomaterials [20,64,65,[122][123][124]. These nanoparticles are the most used from an industrial and commercial point of view, due to their characteristic properties (e.g., chemical stability, malleability, flexibility, high electrical and thermal conductivity, catalytic activity, relatively low production cost, and antimicrobial action against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa).…”

Metal–Peptide Complexes as Promising Antibiotics to Fight Emerging Drug Resistance: New Perspectives in Tuberculosis

“…Various drug delivery systems have been exploited over the last years in the therapeutic strategies related to Tb: metal NPs of Ni, Ag, Au [132,133], metal complexes of antibiotics [134], as well as polymers with antimicrobial properties, both decorated with AMPs and not. This latter strategy has the advantage to combine synergistically the effects of bioactive polymer matrices with drugs [135][136][137].…”