Antimicrobial peptide-inspired antibacterial polymeric materials for biosafety

Abstract

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance attributed to the overuse and abuse of antibiotics severely endangers global biosafety. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by various living organisms exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties with a low propensity to the resistance. However, the application of AMPs has been greatly limited owing to their poor stability, high manufacturing cost, and high cytotoxicity. Thus, AMP-mimetic antimicrobial cationic polymers with cationic and amphiphilic moieties have attracted considerable attention as antimicrobial agents. These polymers typically exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, negligible antimicrobial resistance, and rapid bactericidal effect. These polymers exhibit low hemolysis and cytotoxicity by optimizing their chemical structures. In this study, we summarize the design principles and current findings of antimicrobial cationic polymers and identify potential candidates for developing innovative polymeric antimicrobials.

Keywords

• Cationic polymer
• Antimicrobial agent
• Antimicrobial peptide