title: Antimicrobial Peptides as a Strategy to Combat Fungal Biofilms.
abstract: Invasive fungal infections caused by opportunistic fungal pathogens are associated with high mortality rates, mainly due to the occurrence of genotypic and/or phenotypic resistance. One of the causes of phenotypic resistance is the preferred growth of various fungal pathogens as biofilms, which are tolerant or resistant to most classes of antifungal agents. Moreover, increasing evidence points to biofilm formation as a general prerequisite for the development of systemic infections. Therefore, new antibiofilm agents are urgently needed to reduce the incidence of biofilm-associated infections. Nowadays, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as valuable alternatives for or complements to the classical antifungal agents to combat fungal infections. Many review reports describe activity of AMPs against free-living planktonic fungal pathogens. In contrast, this review summarizes the antibiofilm properties of natural or synthetic AMPs against fungal biofilms and their potential to enhance the antibiofilm activity of existing antifungal agents.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Delattin
authors.forename: Katrijn De
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brucker
authors.forename: Kaat De
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cremer
authors.affiliation: Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, box 2460, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bruno P A
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Cammue
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thevissen
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides