title: New horizons for host defense peptides and lantibiotics.
abstract: Antimicrobial peptides from either microbial sources, or based on host defense peptides (HDPs) from higher organisms, show promising activity against human pathogens. Lantibiotics have been extensively engineered by either molecular biology approaches or chemistry and both natural and modified entities have been shown to have good efficacy in animal models of infection. Amongst HDPs either truncated peptides or non-peptide mimetic molecules show substantial promise both for their direct antibiotic action and also modulation of host functions. Members of both classes have reached clinical development for therapy of systemic infections and Clostridium difficile infection of the gastrointestinal tract.
authors: Novacta Biosystems Limited, BioPark Hertfordshire, Herftordshire AL7 3AX, UK. mike.dawson@novactabio.com
authors: Michael John
authors: MJ
authors: Dawson
authors: Richard W
authors: RW
authors: Scott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001430:Bacteriocins