Anti-Staphylococcus Aureus Effects of Natural Antimicrobial Peptides and the Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus can cause localized infections such as abscesses and pneumonia, as well as systemic infections such as bacteremia and sepsis. Especially, methicillin-resistant S. aureus often presents multidrug resistance, which becomes a major clinical challenge. One of the most common reasons for methicillin-resistant S. aureus antibiotic resistance is the presence of biofilms. Natural antimicrobial peptides derived from different species have shown effectiveness in combating S. aureus biofilms. In this review, we summarize the inhibitory activity of antimicrobial peptides against S. aureus planktonic cells and biofilms. We also summarize the possible inhibitory mechanisms, involving cell adhesion inhibition, membrane fracture, biofilm disruption and DNA disruption. We believe this can provide the basis for further research against S. aureus biofilm-associated infections.

Plain language summary

When a bacterial infection is treated, sometimes not all bacteria are killed. This is because they have ways to evade the treatment’s action. Therefore, it is important to develop new drugs, although this is difficult, expensive and time-consuming. This paper summarizes new types of natural antimicrobials that could be used against bacteria, how they work and how well.

Keywords: :

• antibacterial effects
• antimicrobial peptides
• biofilm
• natural compounds
• Staphylococcus aureus

Author contributions

X Chen collected and analyzed the data, wrote the review and contributed to figure creation. J Yang, C Qu and Q Zhang assisted X Chen. L Liu and S Sun contributed to the writing of the article. All authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the authors for their contributions to this review and also the Department of Pharmacy, China–Japan Friendship Hospital.

Financial disclosure

The authors have no financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Competing interests disclosure

The authors have no competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Writing disclosure

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.