Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) and the Microbiome in Preterm Infants: Consequences and Opportunities for Future Therapeutics

TL;DR

This paper reviews how antimicrobial peptides help protect preterm infants by regulating the microbiome and immune system, offering new therapeutic opportunities.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of AMPs' roles in preterm infants and their potential for innovative disease prevention.

Findings

AMPs regulate the microbiome and immune responses in preterm infants.

Dysbiosis in preterm infants can alter AMP profiles and lead to inflammation-mediated diseases.

AMPs offer potential for new therapeutic strategies in high-risk populations.

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are crucial components of the innate immune system in various organisms, including humans. Beyond their direct antimicrobial effects, AMPs play essential roles in various physiological processes. They induce angiogenesis, promote wound healing, modulate immune responses, and serve as chemoattractants for immune cells. AMPs regulate the microbiome and combat microbial infections on the skin, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Produced in response to microbial signals, AMPs help maintain a balanced microbial community and provide a first line of defense against infection. In preterm infants, alterations in microbiome composition have been linked to various health outcomes, including sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, atopic dermatitis, and respiratory infections. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the microbiome, can alter AMP profiles and potentially lead to inflammation-mediated diseases such as chronic lung disease and obesity. In the following review, we summarize what is known about the vital role of AMPs as multifunctional peptides in protecting newborn infants against infections and modulating the microbiome and immune response. Understanding their roles in preterm infants and high-risk populations offers the potential for innovative approaches to disease prevention and treatment.

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