Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Mol Oral Microbiol. 2021 Jun;36(3):159-171. doi: 10.1111/omi.12333. Epub 2021 Mar 22.
Antimicrobial peptides are naturally occurring protein molecules with antibacterial, antiviral and/or antifungal activity. Some antimicrobial peptides kill microorganisms through direct binding with negatively charged microbial surfaces. This action disrupts the cytoplasmic membrane and leads to the leakage of the cytoplasm. In addition, they are involved in the innate immune response. Antimicrobial peptides play an important role in oral health, as natural antimicrobial peptides are the first line of host defence in response to microbial infection. The level of natural antimicrobial peptides increases during severe disease conditions and play a role in promoting the healing of oral tissues. However, they are insufficient for eliminating pathogenic micro-organisms. The variability of the oral environment can markedly reduce the effect of natural antimicrobial peptides. Thus, researchers are developing synthetic antimicrobial peptides with promising stability and biocompatibility. Synthetic antimicrobial peptides are a potential alternative to traditional antimicrobial therapy. Pertinent to oral diseases, the deregulation of antimicrobial peptides is involved in the pathogenesis of dental caries, periodontal disease, mucosal disease and oral cancer, where they can kill pathogenic microorganisms, promote tissue healing, serve as biomarkers and inhibit tumor cells. This narrative review provides an overview of the multifaceted roles of antimicrobial peptides in oral diseases.
抗菌肽是具有抗菌、抗病毒和/或抗真菌活性的天然存在的蛋白质分子。一些抗菌肽通过与带负电荷的微生物表面直接结合来杀死微生物。这种作用会破坏细胞质膜并导致细胞质泄漏。此外，它们还参与先天免疫反应。抗菌肽在口腔健康中发挥着重要作用，因为天然抗菌肽是宿主针对微生物感染的第一道防御线。在严重疾病情况下，天然抗菌肽的水平会升高，并在促进口腔组织愈合方面发挥作用。然而，它们不足以消除致病微生物。口腔环境的可变性会显著降低天然抗菌肽的效果。因此，研究人员正在开发具有良好稳定性和生物相容性的合成抗菌肽。合成抗菌肽是传统抗菌治疗的一种有前途的替代方法。与口腔疾病相关的是，抗菌肽的失调参与了龋齿、牙周病、黏膜病和口腔癌的发病机制，它们可以杀死致病微生物、促进组织愈合、作为生物标志物和抑制肿瘤细胞。本综述概述了抗菌肽在口腔疾病中的多方面作用。
