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Zhou M, Zou X, Cheng K, Zhong S, Su Y, Wu T, Tao Y, Cong L, Yan B, Jiang Y. The role of cell-penetrating peptides in potential anti-cancer therapy. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e822. [PMID: 35593206 PMCID: PMC9121317 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the complex physiological structure, microenvironment and multiple physiological barriers, traditional anti-cancer drugs are severely restricted from reaching the tumour site. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are typically made up of 5-30 amino acids, and can be utilised as molecular transporters to facilitate the passage of therapeutic drugs across physiological barriers. Up to now, CPPs have widely been used in many anti-cancer treatment strategies, serving as an excellent potential choice for oncology treatment. However, their drawbacks, such as the lack of cell specificity, short duration of action, poor stability in vivo, compatibility problems (i.e. immunogenicity), poor therapeutic efficacy and formation of unwanted metabolites, have limited their further application in cancer treatment. The cellular uptake mechanisms of CPPs involve mainly endocytosis and direct penetration, but still remain highly controversial in academia. The CPPs-based drug delivery strategy could be improved by clever design or chemical modifications to develop the next-generation CPPs with enhanced cell penetration capability, stability and selectivity. In addition, some recent advances in targeted cell penetration that involve CPPs provide some new ideas to optimise CPPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xi Zou
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kexin Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Suye Zhong
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yangzhou Su
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tao Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yongguang Tao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Li Cong
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Yan
- Department of Pathology, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiqun Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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