Antimicrobial and Anticancer Potential of Peptides Derived from Ambystoma mexicanum Skin Mucus

The recent study investigated the skin mucus of the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) to identify natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with potential medical uses. Through computational screening, researchers pinpointed over twenty candidates, which were then synthesized and tested in the lab. The results were highly positive that four peptides effectively killed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a major antibiotic-resistant pathogen, and three were able to destroy breast cancer cells. Additionally, these peptides influenced the expression of cancer-related genes by enhancing tumor-suppressor activity and reducing oncogene activity. These promising findings indicate that axolotl-derived AMPs could serve as valuable leads for the development of novel antibiotics and anticancer drugs.

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11882074/