Anticancer Mechanisms and Potential Anticancer Applications of Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Nano Agents

Abstract

Ziyi Dong,1,2 Xinyu Zhang,1 Qing Zhang,1 Jakkree Tangthianchaichana,1,3 Mingxue Guo,1 Shouying Du,1 Yang Lu1 1Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Research and Development Centre in Beijing, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, ThailandCorrespondence: Yang Lu; Shouying Du, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Number 11 East Section of the North Third Ring Road, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China, Tel + 86-10-84738615, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Traditional chemotherapy is one of the main methods of cancer treatment, which is largely limited by severe side effects and frequent development of multi-drug resistance by cancer cells. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with high efficiency and low toxicity, as one of the most promising new drugs to replace chemoradiotherapy, have become a current research hotspot, attracting the attention of worldwide researchers. AMPs are natural-source small peptides from the innate immune system, and certain AMPs can selectively kill a broad spectrum of cancer cells while exhibiting less damage to normal cells. Although it involves intracellular mechanisms, AMPs exert their anti-cancer effects mainly through membrane destruction effect; thus, AMPs also hold unique advantages in fighting drug-resistant cancer cells. However, the poor stability and hemolytic toxicity of peptides limit their clinical application. Fortunately, functionalized nanoparticles have many possibilities in overcoming the shortcomings of AMPs, which provides a huge prospect for better application of AMPs. In this paper, we briefly introduce the characteristics and different sources of AMPs, review and summarize the mechanisms of action and the research status of AMPs used as an anticancer therapy, and finally focus on the further use of AMPs nano agents in the anti-cancer direction. Keywords: antimicrobial peptides, anticancer mechanisms, drug combination, anticancer application, peptide nano agents

Keywords

• antimicrobial peptides
• anticancer mechanisms
• drug combination
• anticancer application
• peptide nano agents.