Advances in the delivery and application of antimicrobial peptide-based nanomaterials

As multidrug-resistant bacteria continue to emerge, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are being explored as alternatives to antibiotics due to their distinct action mechanism that appears to be devoid of resistance. However, unbound AMPs have a short life span in circulation, are sensitive to proteases, and are unable to withstand alkaline wound environments. In contrast, AMP-based nanomaterials exhibit the ability to overcome these obstacles, resulting in superior therapeutic efficacy compared to free AMPs across disease models. This review focuses on the rational methods used for fabricating peptide-based nanostructures and provides detailed descriptions of their potential in treating microbial infections in different parts of the body, such as the bloodstream, pulmonary system, chronic wounds, gastrointestinal tract, and meningitis. The challenges that impede their oral administration are also discussed. Altogether, this article encapsulates recent advancements and prospects in the formulation and application of AMP-based nanomaterials, so as to provide references for the development of polypeptide biomaterials.