Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Using X-ray Crystallography, Biophysics, and Functional Assays to Determine the Mechanisms Governing T-cell Receptor Recognition of Cancer Antigens
09:53

Using X-ray Crystallography, Biophysics, and Functional Assays to Determine the Mechanisms Governing T-cell Receptor Recognition of Cancer Antigens

Published on: February 6, 2017

On the selectivity and efficacy of defense peptides with respect to cancer cells

Frederick Harris1, Sarah R Dennison, Jaipaul Singh

  • 1School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom.

Medicinal Research Reviews
|September 17, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Innate immune peptides (ACPs) show anticancer potential, with efficacy influenced by both peptide characteristics and cancer cell membrane factors. The interplay between these elements, not a single factor, dictates ACP selectivity and toxicity.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Innate immune peptides (ACPs) are a promising class of molecules with potential anticancer activity.
  • Understanding the factors governing their efficacy and selectivity is crucial for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and identify key determinants influencing the anticancer efficacy of innate immune peptides (ACPs) against cancer cells.
  • To explore the roles of both peptide-based and membrane-based factors in ACP action.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of studies investigating innate immune peptides and their interactions with cancer cells.
  • Analysis of identified peptide and membrane factors contributing to anticancer effects.

Main Results:

  • Anticancer efficacy of ACPs is influenced by membrane factors (receptors, phosphatidylserine, sialic acid, sulfated glycans) and peptide factors (composition, length, charge, hydrophobicity, amphiphilicity).
  • No single factor exclusively determines ACP selectivity and toxicity.
  • The level of interplay between peptide and membrane factors is critical for differential anticancer actions.

Conclusions:

  • The anticancer efficacy of innate immune peptides is a multifactorial phenomenon.
  • Therapeutic strategies should consider the complex interactions between ACP properties and cancer cell surface characteristics for optimal outcomes.

More Related Videos

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer10:46

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer

Published on: September 13, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Selectins01:25

Selectins

Cell adhesion is  an essential aspect of multicellularity. While stable cell interactions usually occur between cells of the same type, transient cell interactions occur between cells of different tissue types, such as between neutrophils and endothelial cells. Selectins are one class of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that bind carbohydrate ligands to form transient cell adhesion. They are rod-like proteins with a long extracellular part of variable length ending with the lectin domain, which...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Dose-Response Relationship: Selectivity and Specificity01:25

Dose-Response Relationship: Selectivity and Specificity

Drugs exert their therapeutic effects by interacting with receptors, enzymes, or ion channels that are present throughout the human body. The strength and duration of the interaction between a drug and its target receptor are characterized by the selectivity and specificity of the drug. Selectivity refers to a drug's strong preference for its intended target over other targets. For instance, isoprenaline, a non-selective β-adrenergic agonist, interacts with both β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors...
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.