Antimicrobial Peptides Against Arboviruses: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Future Directions

Overview

Journal Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins

Publisher Springer

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Microbiology
Nutritional Sciences
Pharmacology

Date 2025 Jan 8

PMID 39776036

Authors

Iman Owliaee

Mehran Khaledian

Ali Shojaeian

Hamid Madanchi

Reza Yarani

Armin Khaghani Boroujeni

Mohammad Shoushtari

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This review delves into the potential of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as promising candidates for combating arboviruses, focusing on their mechanisms of antiviral activity, challenges, and future directions. AMPs have shown promise in preventing arbovirus attachment to host cells, inducing interferon production, and targeting multiple viral stages, illustrating their multifaceted impact on arbovirus infections. Structural elucidation of AMP-viral complexes is explored to deepen the understanding of molecular determinants governing viral neutralization, paving the way for structure-guided design. Furthermore, this review highlights the potential of AMP-based combination therapies to create synergistic effects that enhance overall treatment outcomes while minimizing the likelihood of resistance development. Challenges such as susceptibility to proteases, toxicity, and scalable production are discussed alongside strategies to address these limitations. Additionally, the expanding applications of AMPs as vaccine adjuvants and antiviral delivery systems are emphasized, underscoring their versatility beyond direct antiviral functions.

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