Wang Yeji, Song Minghui, Chang Wenqiang
Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Cell Surf. 2024 Nov 27;12:100135. doi: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2024.100135. eCollection 2024 Dec.
The rise of drug-resistant pathogens, driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, has created a formidable challenge for global public health. Antimicrobial peptides and proteins have garnered considerable attention as promising candidates for novel antimicrobial agents. These bioactive molecules, whether derived from natural sources, designed synthetically, or predicted using artificial intelligence, can induce lethal effects on pathogens by targeting key microbial structures or functional components, such as cell membranes, cell walls, biofilms, and intracellular components. Additionally, they may enhance overall immune defenses by modulating innate or adaptive immune responses in the host. Of course, development of antimicrobial peptides and proteins also face some limitations, including high toxicity, lack of selectivity, insufficient stability, and potential immunogenicity. Despite these challenges, they remain a valuable resource in the fight against drug-resistant pathogens. Future research should focus on overcoming these limitations to fully realize the therapeutic potential of antimicrobial peptides in the infection control.
抗生素的滥用和过度使用导致耐药病原体的出现，这给全球公共卫生带来了巨大挑战。抗菌肽和蛋白质作为新型抗菌剂的有前途的候选者，已引起了相当大的关注。这些生物活性分子，无论是源自天然来源、人工合成设计还是使用人工智能预测的，都可以通过靶向关键的微生物结构或功能成分（如细胞膜、细胞壁、生物膜和细胞内成分）对病原体产生致死作用。此外，它们还可以通过调节宿主的固有免疫或适应性免疫反应来增强整体免疫防御。当然，抗菌肽和蛋白质的开发也面临一些限制，包括高毒性、缺乏选择性、稳定性不足和潜在的免疫原性。尽管存在这些挑战，但它们仍然是对抗耐药病原体的宝贵资源。未来的研究应专注于克服这些限制，以充分实现抗菌肽在感染控制中的治疗潜力。
