Moita Tomás, Pedroso Laurentina, Santos Isabel, Lima Ana
Research in Veterinary Medicine (I-MVET), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon University Centre, Campo Grande, 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon University Centre, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Nutrients. 2025 May 8;17(10):1615. doi: 10.3390/nu17101615.
The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for alternative strategies to conventional antibiotics and preservatives. Casein-derived antimicrobial peptides (CDAMPs), generated through proteolysis, exhibit potent activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant strains, revealing strong potential as natural preservatives and therapeutic agents in food and medical applications. Furthermore, casein can be an ideal source for peptide production in these sectors due to its abundance, disordered structure, which enhances enzymatic cleavage, and its amino acid profile, which favors bioactivity. Nonetheless, there is limited literature addressing real-life applications in veterinary medicine, food safety, and public health. This review provides a structured synthesis of current knowledge on the antibacterial properties of CDPs. We classify the main types of these peptides, describe their production methods, and summarize their mechanisms of action against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, we examine their potential applications in clinical, veterinary, and food-related contexts, and discuss key aspects related to delivery systems, safety, and regulatory considerations. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of CDPs in addressing antimicrobial resistance, reducing antibiotic use in livestock and humans, and contributing to sustainable food safety and functional food production.
抗菌药物耐药性日益增长的威胁加剧了人们对传统抗生素和防腐剂替代策略的探索。通过蛋白水解产生的酪蛋白衍生抗菌肽（CDAMP）对包括耐药菌株在内的多种病原体具有强大的活性，在食品和医疗应用中作为天然防腐剂和治疗剂显示出巨大潜力。此外，酪蛋白因其丰富性、有利于酶切的无序结构以及有利于生物活性的氨基酸组成，可成为这些领域肽生产的理想来源。尽管如此，关于其在兽医学、食品安全和公共卫生实际应用的文献有限。本综述对酪蛋白衍生肽抗菌特性的现有知识进行了系统总结。我们对这些肽的主要类型进行了分类，描述了它们的生产方法，并总结了它们对革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌的作用机制。此外，我们研究了它们在临床、兽医和食品相关领域的潜在应用，并讨论了与递送系统、安全性和监管考虑相关的关键方面。总体而言，我们的研究结果突出了酪蛋白衍生肽在应对抗菌药物耐药性、减少家畜和人类抗生素使用以及促进可持续食品安全和功能性食品生产方面的潜力。
