过去几十年来，抗菌素耐药性的惊人增长促使人们寻找控制传染病的替代方法。抗菌肽 (AMP) 是一类具有丰富抗菌、抗病毒和抗真菌作用的异质分子。它们存在于许多生物体中，包括所有类别的脊椎动物，为新型抗菌剂提供了宝贵的来源。 AMP 的独特特性使微生物更难产生耐药性，而它们的免疫调节特性和靶标多样性则强化了它们在多种疾病（从自身免疫性疾病到不同类型的癌症）中的转化应用。近年来，大量研究评估了 AMP 在治疗中的应用，其中许多研究已进入临床试验阶段。本综述探讨了抗菌肽 (cathelicidins) 的药用特性的最新进展，抗菌肽是一大类 AMP，具有有效的抗菌和免疫调节作用。来自多种生物体的导管素已在病毒和细菌感染、炎症性疾病和肿瘤的疾病模型中进行了测试，取得了令人鼓舞的结果。将纳米材料与活性天然抗菌肽（包括 LL-37 和角藻素等合成类似物）相结合，可创造出具有重大临床前景的创新纳米制剂。然而，仍然存在重要的局限性，例如许多导管素对健康宿主细胞的毒性以及体内稳定性较低。纳米材料和合成生物学的最新进展可能有助于克服当前的局限性，从而使导管素能够在未来的治疗中使用。此外，更好地了解抗菌肽在体内的作用机制及其与其他宿主分子的协同作用将有助于开发更安全、高效的疗法。版权所有 © 2024 Guerra, Vieira, Calazans, Destro, Melo, Rodrigues, Waz, Girardello 、达里厄和康弗索。

The alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance in the last decades has prompted the search for alternatives to control infectious diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a heterogeneous class of molecules with ample antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects. They can be found in many organisms, including all classes of vertebrates, providing a valuable source of new antimicrobial agents. The unique properties of AMPs make it harder for microbes develop resistance, while their immunomodulatory properties and target diversity reinforce their translational use in multiple diseases, from autoimmune disorders to different types of cancer. The latest years have witnessed a vast number of studies evaluating the use of AMPs in therapy, with many progressing to clinical trials. The present review explores the recent developments in the medicinal properties of cathelicidins, a vast family of AMPs with potent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects. Cathelicidins from several organisms have been tested in disease models of viral and bacterial infections, inflammatory diseases, and tumors, with encouraging results. Combining nanomaterials with active, natural antimicrobial peptides, including LL-37 and synthetic analogs like ceragenins, leads to the creation of innovative nanoagents with significant clinical promise. However, there are still important limitations, such as the toxicity of many cathelicidins to healthy host cells and low stability in vivo. The recent advances in nanomaterials and synthetic biology may help overcome the current limitations, enabling the use of cathelicidins in future therapeutics. Furthermore, a better understanding of the mechanisms of cathelicidin action in vivo and their synergy with other host molecules will contribute to the development of safer, highly effective therapies.Copyright © 2024 Guerra, Vieira, Calazans, Destro, Melo, Rodrigues, Waz, Girardello, Darrieux and Converso.