Peptide aptamer identified by molecular docking targeting translationally controlled tumor protein in leukemia cells

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is implicated in various cancers.
• Targeting TCTP presents a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize high-affinity peptide aptamers targeting TCTP.
• To evaluate the therapeutic potential of selected peptides against TCTP-expressing cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Bioinformatics screening and molecular docking were used to select peptide aptamers.
• Cytotoxicity assays were performed on cancer cell lines with varying TCTP expression levels.
• Western blot analysis was employed to assess protein expression changes.

Main Results:

• A peptide aptamer, WGQWPYHC, demonstrated specific cytotoxicity against TCTP-expressing tumor cells, sparing normal cells.
• WGQWPYHC induced down-regulation of TCTP and cell-cycle proteins (CDK2, CDK6, Cyclin D3) in MOLT-4 leukemia cells.

Conclusions:

• The peptide WGQWPYHC is a promising candidate for targeted cancer therapy.
• Further investigation of WGQWPYHC is warranted for its clinical application in TCTP-driven tumors.