AUTHOR=Polinário Giulia , Primo Laura Maria Duran Gleriani , Rosa Maiara Alane Baraldi Cerquetani , Dett Freddy Humberto Marin , Barbugli Paula Aboud , Roque-Borda Cesar Augusto , Pavan Fernando Rogério 

TITLE=Antimicrobial peptides as drugs with double response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfections in lung cancer

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1183247

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1183247

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=Tuberculosis and lung cancer are, in many cases, correlated diseases that can be confused because they have similar symptoms. Many meta-analyses have proven that there is a greater chance of developing lung cancer in patients who have active pulmonary tuberculosis. It is, therefore, important to monitor the patient for a long time after recovery, as well as search for combined therapies that can treat both diseases and, beyond that, face the great problem of drug resistance. Peptides are molecules derived from the breakdown of proteins, and the membranolytic class is already being studied. It has been proposed that these molecules destabilize cellular homeostasis, performing a dual antimicrobial and anticancer function and offering several possibilities of adaptation for adequate delivery and action. In this review, we focus on an important reason for the use of multifunctional peptides or peptides with double activity and with no harmful effects on humans. We review some of the main antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory bioactive peptides and highlight four that have anti-tuberculosis and anti-cancer activity, making it possible to obtain drugs with this dual functionality. 
Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, lung cancer, peptides, multifunctional peptides.