TY - JOUR
T1 - Delivery systems for antimicrobial peptides and proteins
T2 - towards optimization of bioavailability and targeting
AU - Costa, Joana R.
AU - Silva, Nádia C.
AU - Sarmento, Bruno
AU - Pintado, Manuela
PY - 2017/2/1
Y1 - 2017/2/1
N2 - Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and proteins are produced by a wide range of organisms as important elements of their defense mechanisms, forming a large number of antimicrobial compounds that can be used to treat several human infections. The potential for the use of AMPs and antimicrobial proteins in therapeutics is growing, but their application is often limited, due to their poor physical and/or chemical properties. In recent years, several drug delivery systems have been proposed to carry such molecules, in an attempt to overcome the difficulties regarding their properties. However, no review has yet systematized the most relevant information on this subject. Therefore, this review summarizes the work that has been conducted to develop delivery systems for the transport and protection of AMPs and antimicrobial proteins, including their description and potential applications, while highlighting the opportunities for future research in this field.
AB - Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and proteins are produced by a wide range of organisms as important elements of their defense mechanisms, forming a large number of antimicrobial compounds that can be used to treat several human infections. The potential for the use of AMPs and antimicrobial proteins in therapeutics is growing, but their application is often limited, due to their poor physical and/or chemical properties. In recent years, several drug delivery systems have been proposed to carry such molecules, in an attempt to overcome the difficulties regarding their properties. However, no review has yet systematized the most relevant information on this subject. Therefore, this review summarizes the work that has been conducted to develop delivery systems for the transport and protection of AMPs and antimicrobial proteins, including their description and potential applications, while highlighting the opportunities for future research in this field.
KW - Antimicrobial peptides
KW - Bioavailability
KW - Drug carriers
KW - Encapsulation systems
KW - Toxicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85013890661&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2174/1389201017666161207112244
DO - 10.2174/1389201017666161207112244
M3 - Review article
C2 - 27924724
AN - SCOPUS:85013890661
SN - 1389-2010
VL - 18
SP - 108
EP - 120
JO - Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
JF - Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
IS - 2
ER -
