Antifungal Host Defense Peptides

摘要: Fungi infect billions of people every year, yet their contribution to the global burden disease is largely unrecognized and repertoire antifungal agents rather limited. Thus, treatment life-threatening invasive fungal infections still based on drugs discovered several decades ago. In addition, recent data resistance emergence fungi emphasize urgent need for novel treatments. One alternative strategy host defense peptides. Among large number antimicrobial peptides, a group peptides show primarily activity by interfering with enzymes cell wall biosynthesis or specific membrane lipids such as ergosterol. Both are promising targets they absent in mammalian cells hence low toxicity can be expected. However, most exhibit broad spectrum including activity. These act level although structures vary largely, share positive net charge, which facilitates electrostatic interactions negatively charged target cell, an amphipathic structure, incorporation into turn disruption. Thereby, differing between mammals play central role concerning specificity efficacy these Hence, understanding molecular mechanism(s) action will aid design agents. Finally, some were shown synergistically conventional drugs, would further widen armory treat especially infections.