Bacteriophages, phage endolysins and antimicrobial peptides – the possibilities for their common use to combat infections and in the design of new drugs

The antibiotic resistance in many pathogenic bacteria has become a major clinical problem, therefore, the necessity arises to search for new therapeutic strategies. The most promising solution lies in bacteriophages, phage endolysins and antimicrobial peptides. The aim of this study is to review the possibilities for the common use of bacteriophages, phage endolysins and antimicrobial peptides, both in the form of combined therapies and new strategies for the production of peptide drugs. Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect and destroy pathogenic bacteria by penetration into bacterial cells, causing metabolism disorders and, consequently, cell lysis. Phage-encoded endolysins are bacteriolytic proteins produced at the end of the phage lytic cycle that destroy elements of bacterial cell wall and enable the release of phage progeny from host cells. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute an element of the innate immunity of living organisms and are characterized by the activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria. In the literature, there are only a few reports on the direct interaction of bacteriophages, phage endolysins and antimicrobial peptides against pathogenic bacteria. In each of them, a synergistic effect was observed, and Phage-encoded antimicrobial peptides as a specific group of AMPs have were also discussed. Phage-display technique was also reviewed in terms of its applications to produce and deliver biologically active peptides. The literature data also suggest that bacteriophages, phage endolysins and antimicrobial peptides can be used in combined therapy, thus negating many of the limitations resulting from their specificity as a single antimicrobial agent.