Cystic Fibrosis patients often presents complications due to bacterial resistant to antibiotics. A weapon that could be used against pulmonary infections is represented by Antimicrobial Peptides(AMPs). The AMP “BMAP18” is very active in vitro against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but when tested to cure pulmonary infections in mice it showed a quite high toxicity and did not show the expected antibiotic activity. Because of these problems that BMAP18 shares by with most AMPs, this molecule could not be used for therapeutic purpose.
We aim to analyze the factors causing the toxicity and the low efficacy of BMAP18 when therapeutically applied to animals, with the final scope to modify it and optimize it for the peculiar CF pulmonary environment. Our results could be important not only to develop this single molecule but also to provide useful insights to lead antimicrobial peptides towards therapeutic applications.