Delivery systems for antimicrobial peptides

Research output: Contribution to journalReviewResearchpeer-review

Due to rapidly increasing resistance development against conventional antibiotics, finding novel approaches for the treatment of infections has emerged as a key health issue. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted interest in this context, and there is by now a considerable literature on the identification such peptides, as well as on their optimization to reach potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects at simultaneously low toxicity against human cells. In comparison, delivery systems for antimicrobial peptides have attracted considerably less interest. However, such delivery systems are likely to play a key role in the development of potent and safe AMP-based therapeutics, e.g., through reducing chemical or biological degradation of AMPs either in the formulation or after administration, by reducing adverse side-effects, by controlling AMP release rate, by promoting biofilm penetration, or through achieving co-localization with intracellular pathogens. Here, an overview is provided of the current understanding of delivery systems for antimicrobial peptides, with special focus on AMP-carrier interactions, as well as consequences of these interactions for antimicrobial and related biological effects of AMP-containing formulations.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAdvances in Colloid and Interface Science
Volume242
Pages (from-to)17-34
Number of pages18
ISSN0001-8686
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2017

    Research areas

  • Journal Article, Review

ID: 185031634