title: Using adjuvants and environmental factors to modulate the activity of antimicrobial peptides.
abstract: The increase in antibiotic resistant and multi-drug resistant bacterial infections has serious implications for the future of health care. The difficulty in finding both new microbial targets and new drugs against existing targets adds to the concern. The use of combination and adjuvant therapies are potential strategies to counter this threat. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising class of antibiotics (ABs), particularly for topical and surface applications. Efforts have been directed toward a number of strategies, including the use of conventional ABs combined with AMPs, and the use of potentiating agents to increase the performance of AMPs. This review focuses on combination strategies such as adjuvants and the manipulation of environmental variables to improve the efficacy of AMPs as potential therapeutic agents. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antimicrobial peptides edited by Karl Lohner and Kai Hilpert.
authors.affiliation: Loyola University New Orleans, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States. Electronic address: walken@loyno.edu.
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Walkenhorst
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D012834:Silver; D006046:Gold; D003300:Copper
keywords: Adjuvants; Antibiotic targets; Antimicrobial peptides; Environmental factors; Resistance mechanisms; Synergy