The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs
Host-defense peptides, also called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), whose protective action has been used by animals for millions of years, fulfill many requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, such as: (1) broad spectrum of activity; (2) unlike classic antibiotics, they induce very little resista...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/2/311 |
| _version_ | 1819103742100766720 |
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| author | Alicia Boto Jose Manuel Pérez de la Lastra Concepción C. González |
| author_facet | Alicia Boto Jose Manuel Pérez de la Lastra Concepción C. González |
| author_sort | Alicia Boto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Host-defense peptides, also called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), whose protective action has been used by animals for millions of years, fulfill many requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, such as: (1) broad spectrum of activity; (2) unlike classic antibiotics, they induce very little resistance; (3) they act synergically with conventional antibiotics; (4) they neutralize endotoxins and are active in animal models. However, it is considered that many natural peptides are not suitable for drug development due to stability and biodisponibility problems, or high production costs. This review describes the efforts to overcome these problems and develop new antimicrobial drugs from these peptides or inspired by them. The discovery process of natural AMPs is discussed, as well as the development of synthetic analogs with improved pharmacological properties. The production of these compounds at acceptable costs, using different chemical and biotechnological methods, is also commented. Once these challenges are overcome, a new generation of versatile, potent and long-lasting antimicrobial drugs is expected. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:55:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bd50f4409754ff8bdfeb60537be8c06 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:55:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bd50f4409754ff8bdfeb60537be8c062022-12-21T18:42:49ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492018-02-0123231110.3390/molecules23020311molecules23020311The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial DrugsAlicia Boto0Jose Manuel Pérez de la Lastra1Concepción C. González2Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología del CSIC, CSIC-Spanish Research Council, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, 3-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainInstituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología del CSIC, CSIC-Spanish Research Council, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, 3-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainInstituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología del CSIC, CSIC-Spanish Research Council, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, 3-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainHost-defense peptides, also called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), whose protective action has been used by animals for millions of years, fulfill many requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, such as: (1) broad spectrum of activity; (2) unlike classic antibiotics, they induce very little resistance; (3) they act synergically with conventional antibiotics; (4) they neutralize endotoxins and are active in animal models. However, it is considered that many natural peptides are not suitable for drug development due to stability and biodisponibility problems, or high production costs. This review describes the efforts to overcome these problems and develop new antimicrobial drugs from these peptides or inspired by them. The discovery process of natural AMPs is discussed, as well as the development of synthetic analogs with improved pharmacological properties. The production of these compounds at acceptable costs, using different chemical and biotechnological methods, is also commented. Once these challenges are overcome, a new generation of versatile, potent and long-lasting antimicrobial drugs is expected.http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/2/311antimicrobialantibioticpeptidesAMPcathelicidinssite-selectivepeptide modificationtag-and-modifycustomizable unitsgene mining |
| spellingShingle | Alicia Boto Jose Manuel Pérez de la Lastra Concepción C. González The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs Molecules antimicrobial antibiotic peptides AMP cathelicidins site-selective peptide modification tag-and-modify customizable units gene mining |
| title | The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs |
| title_full | The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs |
| title_fullStr | The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs |
| title_short | The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs |
| title_sort | road from host defense peptides to a new generation of antimicrobial drugs |
| topic | antimicrobial antibiotic peptides AMP cathelicidins site-selective peptide modification tag-and-modify customizable units gene mining |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/2/311 |
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