A novel human derived cell-penetrating peptide in drug delivery

Cell-penetrating peptides can carry a variety of biologically active molecules into cells. Here we have identified a novel CPP derived from the C-terminus of human extracellular superoxide dismutase (hC-SOD3) which was shown to be located throughout in the cytoplasm and nucleus by fluorescence microscopy investigation. Furthermore, when apoptin fused to hC-SOD3, it was translocated efficiently into HeLa cells resulting in antitumor activities. This study shows that hC-SOD3 has the potential to penetrate and translocate cargo molecules into cells and has no cytotoxicity at effective concentration.