Current Advances in Lipid and Polymeric Antimicrobial Peptide Delivery Systems and Coatings for the Prevention and Treatment of Bacterial Infections.

Miriam E Van Gent,Muhanad Ali,Peter H Nibbering,Sylvia N Kłodzińska

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13111840

Miriam E Van Gent, Muhanad Ali + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13111840

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Abstract

Bacterial infections constitute a threat to public health as antibiotics are becoming less effective due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistant strains and biofilm and persister formation. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered excellent alternatives to antibiotics; however, they suffer from limitations related to their peptidic nature and possible toxicity. The present review critically evaluates the chemical characteristics and antibacterial effects of lipid and polymeric AMP delivery systems and coatings that offer the promise of enhancing the efficacy of AMPs, reducing their limitations and prolonging their half-life. Unfortunately, the antibacterial activities of these systems and coatings have mainly been evaluated in vitro against planktonic bacteria in less biologically relevant conditions, with only some studies focusing on the antibiofilm activities of the formulated AMPs and on the antibacterial effects in animal models. Further improvements of lipid and polymeric AMP delivery systems and coatings may involve the functionalization of these systems to better target the infections and an analysis of the antibacterial activities in biologically relevant environments. Based on the available data we proposed which polymeric AMP delivery system or coatings could be profitable for the treatment of the different hard-to-treat infections, such as bloodstream infections and catheter- or implant-related infections.

Highlights

Published: 2 November 2021Antibiotics are highly successful drugs that save the lives of millions of people yearly and are essential in many important medical procedures, such as transplantation, novel tumor treatments and complex surgical procedures, including implantation of artificial body parts
Bacteria hiding in deeper layers of the biofilm may transfer to a metabolically inactive state, so-called persisters, which are tolerant to the actions of many antibiotics [3]
There is an urgent need for novel agents that are effective against a broad range of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) pathogenic bacteria, residing in a biofilm or host cells

Summary

Introduction

Published: 2 November 2021Antibiotics are highly successful drugs that save the lives of millions of people yearly and are essential in many important medical procedures, such as transplantation, novel tumor treatments and complex surgical procedures, including implantation of artificial body parts. Bacteria hiding in deeper layers of the biofilm may transfer to a metabolically inactive state, so-called persisters, which are tolerant to the actions of many antibiotics [3]. These persisters cannot be treated by antibiotics that target routes involved in the metabolism of bacteria, but only by high concentrations of antibiotics that target essential features of the bacteria, such as their membrane. Bacteria are able to hide inside host cells [4] to avoid the action of antibiotics as well as factors of the immune systems Based on these considerations, there is an urgent need for novel agents that are effective against a broad range of AMR pathogenic bacteria, residing in a biofilm or host cells

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