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Antimicrobial and Antiviral Peptides: 2nd Edition

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2025 | Viewed by 709

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial peptides; serum protein-derived peptides; infectious diseases; anti-infective peptides; anti-biofilm peptides; structure–activity relationship of peptides; in silico analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases still constitute a major problem for public health in relation to the emergence of resistance against conventional anti-infective drugs. It is therefore necessary to identify new therapeutic strategies against infections. In the last twenty years, peptides have experienced a revival as potential therapeutic drugs thanks to new chemical synthesis procedures and the nano-delivery technologies applied in the peptide field.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the recent research in the field of antimicrobial and antiviral peptides. This includes, but is not limited to, (i) identification of novel natural, synthetic, or in silico-designed peptides; (ii) functional and structural characterization and structure–function relationships; (iii) identification of molecular targets; and (iv) possible biomedical applications.

Since the International Journal of Molecular Sciences is a journal of molecular science, pure clinical studies will not be suitable for the journal. However, clinical submissions with biomolecular experiments are welcomed.

Dr. Tecla Ciociola
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • antimicrobial peptides
  • antiviral peptides
  • peptide mining
  • molecular mechanism of biological activity
  • structure–activity relationship
  • molecular targets
  • in silico design
  • in vivo models
  • peptide delivery strategies
  • biomedical applications

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

27 pages, 1791 KB  
Review
Antimicrobial Peptides of the Cathelicidin Family: Focus on LL-37 and Its Modifications
by Olga Evgenevna Voronko, Victoria Alexandrovna Khotina, Dmitry Alexandrovich Kashirskikh, Arthur Anatolievich Lee and Vagif Ali oglu Gasanov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(16), 8103; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26168103 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 449
Abstract
Cathelicidins are a family of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with broad-spectrum activity and immunomodulatory functions. Among them, the only human cathelicidin LL-37 has garnered significant interest due to its potent antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antitumor properties. However, the clinical application of LL-37 is [...] Read more.
Cathelicidins are a family of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with broad-spectrum activity and immunomodulatory functions. Among them, the only human cathelicidin LL-37 has garnered significant interest due to its potent antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antitumor properties. However, the clinical application of LL-37 is hindered by several limitations, including low proteolytic stability, cytotoxicity, and high production costs. To overcome these challenges, a wide range of design strategies have been employed to modify LL-37 and improve its therapeutic potential. LL-37-based analogs represent promising candidates for the development of next-generation antimicrobial and immunomodulatory therapies. Despite significant progress, further research is required to optimize peptide design, ensure cost-effective production, and validate long-term safety and efficacy. Advances in computational modeling, high-throughput screening, and nanotechnology will play an important role in the translation of modified cathelicidins into clinical practice. This review summarizes key strategies of chemical and structural modifications of LL-37 aimed at enhancing its functional properties. Particular attention is given to truncated and retro-analogs, which preserve or improve biological activity while exhibiting reduced toxicity and increased proteolytic resistance. Furthermore, we highlight the use of nanoscale delivery systems, which facilitate targeted delivery, prolong peptide half-life, and mitigate cytotoxic effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antiviral Peptides: 2nd Edition)
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