Antimicrobial Peptides: A New Hope in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Fields

Abstract

Antibiotics are essential drugs used to treat pathogenic bacteria, but their prolonged use contributes to the development and spread of drug-resistant microorganisms. Antibiotic resistance is a serious challenge and has led to the need for new alternative molecules less prone to bacterial resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have aroused great interest as potential next-generation antibiotics, since they are bioactive small proteins, naturally produced by all living organisms, and representing the first line of defense against fungi, viruses and bacteria. AMPs are commonly classified according to their sources, which are represented by microorganisms, plants and animals, as well as to their secondary structure, their biosynthesis and their mechanism of action. They find application in different fields such as agriculture, food industry and medicine, on which we focused our attention in this review. Particularly, we examined AMP potential applicability in wound healing, skin infections and metabolic syndrome, considering their ability to act as potential Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme I and pancreatic lipase inhibitory peptides as well as antioxidant peptides. Moreover, we argued about the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic approaches to develop new antibiotics, the drug development strategies and the formulation approaches which need to be taken into account in developing clinically suitable AMP applications.

Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Odorant Binding Proteins and Their Interactions with Selected Volatile Organic Compounds: An In Silico Approach

“…The diversity of substrates processed is higher than any other insect species, and the bioconversion process is more efficient than any other known dipteran species used for such purposes, due to the robust mouthparts and digestive enzymes [ 11 , 12 ]. While feeding, larvae can reduce dry matter by 50–80% and convert up to 20% into larval biomass within 14 days [ 2 , 13 , 14 ], also reducing the bacterial load typical of certain substrates (for example manure) [ 15 , 16 ], due to the production of antimicrobial peptides [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Once larvae have completed their feeding, they disperse from the substrate towards a dry site in order to complete the pupation process that lasts around two weeks [ 20 ].…”

Is It Possible to Create Antimicrobial Peptides Based on the Amyloidogenic Sequence of Ribosomal S1 Protein of P. aeruginosa?

“…Currently, the development of new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is an important area for bioengineering and biomedical applications [1][2][3]. AMPs are created as molecules that selectively affect the basic bacterial functions or growth processes of pathogenic organisms.…”

Lipids from Hermetia illucens, an Innovative and Sustainable Source

“…Recently EFSA approved the use of whole dried T. molitor larvae also for human consumption [47]. Among the bioconverter species, BSF is considered one of the most interesting insects worldwide for the bioconversion of organic waste and as a promising and sustainable source of proteins, lipids, and bioactive compounds (i.e., chitin and antimicrobial peptides) [43,[48][49][50][51] (Figure 2). Among the bioconverter species, BSF is considered one of the most interesting insects worldwide for the bioconversion of organic waste and as a promising and sustainable source of proteins, lipids, and bioactive compounds (i.e., chitin and antimicrobial peptides) [43,[48][49][50][51] (Figure 2).…”

“…Recently EFSA approved the use of whole dried T. molitor larvae also for human consumption [47]. Among the bioconverter species, BSF is considered one of the most interesting insects worldwide for the bioconversion of organic waste and as a promising and sustainable source of proteins, lipids, and bioactive compounds (i.e., chitin and antimicrobial peptides) [43,[48][49][50][51] (Figure 2). The importance of BSF is correlated to its ability to convert and recover nutrients from different types of organic compounds and to reduce organic waste biomass by 50-60%, thereby transforming it into high protein biomass [17].…”