Antimicrobial peptide-based treatment for endodontic infections--biotechnological innovation in endodontics.

Abstract

The presence/persistence of microorganisms in the pulp and periapical area corresponds to the maintenance of an exacerbated immune response that leads to the start of periradicular bone resorption and its perpetuation. In endodontic treatment, the available intracanal medications do not have all the desirable properties in the context of endodontic infection and apical periodontitis; they need to include not only strong antimicrobial performance but also an immunomodulatory and reparative activity, without host damage. In addition, there are various levels of resistance to root canal medications. Thus, antimicrobial agents that effectively eliminate resistant species in root canals could potentially improve endodontic treatment. In the emergence of new therapies, an increasing number of studies on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been seen over the past few years. AMPs are defense biomolecules produced in response to infection, and they have a wide spectrum of action against many oral microorganisms. There are some studies that correlate peptides and oral infections, including oral peptides, neuropeptides, and bacterial, fish, bovine and synthetic peptides. So far, there are around 120 published studies correlating endodontic microbiota with AMPs but, according to our knowledge, there are no registered patents in the American patent database. There are a considerable number of AMPs that exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity against endodontic microbiota at a small inhibitory concentration and modulate an exacerbated immune response, down-regulating bone resorption. All these reasons indicate the antimicrobial peptide-based endodontic treatment as an emerging and promising option.

• Authors: Stella Maris de Freitas Lima, Gabriela Martins de Pádua, Maurício Gonçalves da Costa Sousa, Mirna de Souza Freire, Octávio Luiz Franco, Taia Maria Berto Rezende
• Journal: Biotechnology advances (Biotechnol Adv) 2015 Jan-Feb Vol. 33 Issue 1 Pg. 203-213 ISSN: 1873-1899 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25447423 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anti-Infective Agents
• Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Infective Agents (pharmacology)
• Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Microbiota (drug effects)
• Periapical Periodontitis (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Root Canal Therapy