title: Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) with Dual Mechanisms: Membrane Disruption and Apoptosis.
abstract: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are one of the critical components in host innate immune responses to imbalanced and invading microbial pathogens. Although the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action have been thoroughly investigated for decades, the exact biological properties of AMPs are still elusive. Most AMPs generally exert the antimicrobial effect by targeting the microbial membrane, such as barrel stave, toroidal, and carpet mechanisms. Thus, the mode of action in model membranes and the discrimination of AMPs to discrepant lipid compositions between mammalian cells and microbial pathogens (cell selectivity) have been studied intensively. However, the latest reports suggest that not only AMPs recently isolated but also well-known membrane-disruptive AMPs play a role in intracellular killing, such as apoptosis induction. In this mini-review, we will review some representative AMPs and their antimicrobial mechanisms and provide new insights into the dual mechanism of AMPs.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Juneyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Gun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides