The prevention of implant-associated infection, one of the leading causes of arthroplasty failure, remains a major challenge in orthopaedic surgery. The main strategies currently pursued are based on surface modifications to render implants less susceptible to bacterial colonization. The antimicrobial peptides of the innate immunity (AMPs) are considered a promising source of novel anti-infective agents and are receiving increasing attention in the field of medical devices due to their proven

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... ti-biofilm properties. Our group has selected three AMPs derived from natural sequences, that are highly effective in vitro against prosthetic joint pathogens, also including antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates. These peptides maintain their antimicrobial activity under conditions relevant to the joint environment and are safe to osteoblast cells under similar conditions, which makes them suitable for orthopaedic applications. Current studies aimed at evaluating their anti-inflammatory and osteogenic potential will allow to identify the best candidate to be used for the development of novel AMP-based antibacterial coatings for arthroplasty implants. Index Terms-TRANS2CARE, prosthetic joint infection, antimicrobial peptides, biomaterials, arthroplasty _____________________________________________________________________ S. Passamonti, S. Gustincich, T. Lah Turnšek, B. Peterlin, R. Pišot, P. Storici (Eds.) CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS with an analysis of innovation management and knowledge transfer potential for a smart specialization strategy