Lectins as Natural Antibiofilm Agents in the Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance: A Review

Biofilms are complex microbial communities embedded in a self-produced extracellular polymeric matrix. These structures confer increased resistance/tolerance to antimicrobial agents and immune responses, posing a serious challenge in both clinical and industrial contexts. In response to these challenges, increasing attention has been given to the development of novel antibiofilm strategies. Among the promising alternatives are lectins—carbohydrate-binding proteins. This review explores the structural and functional features of biofilms and critically discusses recent studies reporting the antibiofilm effects of lectins. Additionally, it addresses the main challenges and limitations surrounding the practical application of lectins to combat biofilms. Lectins from plants, animals, and microorganisms have shown potential to inhibit biofilm formation by disrupting the extracellular matrix, modulating quorum sensing, and affecting bacterial motility and metabolism. Additionally, they can eradicate established biofilms by degrading the matrix, killing or removing microbial cells, and/or preventing biofilm reformation. Together, the findings reviewed here support the continued investigation of lectins as potential agents against biofilm-associated infections as well as highlight the need to address existing gaps, such as the lack of in vivo studies and limited research on the structure–function relationships of lectins and their antibiofilm activity.