Table1 Anticancer peptide function in four different cancers: breast, glioma, colorectal, and melanoma

Breast cancer

Tumor suppressor

INK4 family

(p16INK4a

p15INK4b

p18INK4c

p19INK4d)

Using the proteins Cdk4 or Cdk6 to inhibit the action of cyclin D and block the progression of the cell cycle

[172]

CIP/KIP family

(p21cip1/waf1

p27kip1

p57 kip2)

CYCLIN–CDK complexes indirectly repress transcription

[173]

p16 (p16^INK4a)

Slowing down the progression of the cell cycle by inactivating Cdk4/6

[174]

p21 (CIP1/WAF1)

Cell cycle arrest is caused by blocking the activity of cyclin–CDK2, cyclin–CDK1, and cyclin–CDK4/6 complexes

Competing for PCNA binding with DNA polymerase-δ, hence directly inhibiting DNA synthesis

[175]

p44

Activating p53 by phosphorylating serine 15, resulting in activating p21 protein, and thus inhibiting cell cycle progression

[176]

BRCA1

Involved in repairing damaged DNA

[177]

Cell death provoker

KCCYSL

Imaging the HER2-positive tumors with k_d of 295 nM

[178]

BP-FFVLK-YCDGFYACYMDV

Once bound to the cell surface HER2, it transforms into nanofibrillar (NF) structures

[179]

Bcl-2 family

(Bax, Bak, and Bok)

Binding with interactions regulating mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, thereby releasing intermembrane space proteins

[180]

CT20

Promoting mitochondrial aggregation and cytoskeletal disruption

[181]

RRM-MV

Decreasing BCL-XL and d MCL-1, increasing Bax

[182]

VDAC1

Interacting with anti-apoptotic proteins

[183]

Cytolytic agents

RGD

Acting as an inhibitor of integrin–ligand interactions

Promoting cell adherence to the matrix, preventing cell apoptosis, and accelerating new tissue regeneration

[184]

Pleurocidin family (NRC-03 and NRC-07)

Using membranolytic mechanisms to kill breast cancer cells

[185]

L-K6

Interacting with MCF-7 cells, owing to negatively charged phosphatidylserine thereof

[186]

p28 peptide

Acting as a cancer-specific antiproliferative agent

[187]

SKACP003

Inducing dose-dependent cytotoxicity in all cell lines via hydrogenic interaction of the peptide with β-catenin

[179]

Peptide vaccine

E75

Eliciting a robust anti-HER2 immune response

[188]

Glioma

Cell-penetrating peptides

PepFect14 Transportan10

PepFect3

PepFect28

SynB3

Stearyl-SynB3

Delivery of splice-correcting oligonucleotides (SCOs) to the HeLa pLuc705 cell line

Delivering a large protein such as an antibody, oligonucleotide, or colloidal gold as cargo

[189] [190]

[191]

MDGI/FABP3 targeting peptide

CooP (CGLSGLGVA)

Recognizing tumor vessels and invading tumor satellites by interacting with MDGI/H-FABP/FABP3 in brain tumor tissue

[192]

Transferrin receptor

T7 (HAIYPRH)

Targeting transferrin receptors (TfRs) in a tumor-targeting nanodrug delivery system to enter cells easily without damaging the cells with transferrin (Tf)

[193]

T12 (THRPPMWSPVWP)

Binding to a different site on TfRs compared with transferrin

[194]

LRP targeting peptides

LRP-1

As a cellular penetration facilitator, uPA inhibits the activity of extracellular proteases that activate uPA

[195]

LRP-2

Mediating endocytosis of ligands leading to degradation in lysosomes or transcytosis

[196]

Interleukin-4 receptor

CRKRLDRNC

IL-4Ra-binding

[197]

Colorectal cancer

PepT 1 (SLC15A1)

Facilitating the cellular translocation of dipeptides and tripeptides and the absorption of numerous peptidomimetic drugs

[198]

HNP1–3

Mediating lysis of tumors in a concentration-dependent manner

Inducing the chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) and modulating cytokine expression, thereby modulating immune response and inflammation

[199]

TCP-1

Delivering fluorescein and anticancer medicines into CRC tissue

[200]

EphA2-derived peptide

EphA2-specific CTL

[201]

ABT-737

Inhibition of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family

[201]

Multipeptide cocktail: epitomes of HER2, MVF, GMP, and n-MDP

Inhibition of EGF-2

[201]

Endoglin

Inhibition of angiogenesis

[201]

CEA691

Induction of tumor-specific CTLs

[201]

CEA526–533, NP52–59

Activation of tumor-specific CTLs

[201]

Melanoma

M2pep

Binding preferentially to murine M2 macrophages and M2-like TAMs

[202]

LyP-1

Creating reagents that can specifically destroy tumor lymphatics could be one way to develop the treatment

[203]

CycMSH

Providing a large surface area for interacting with the target

[204]

RGD-SSL-Dox

Facilitating the DOX uptake into melanoma cells by integrin-mediated endocytosis

(205)