[Application of self-assembly in polypeptide drugs: a review]

Self-assembly refers to the spontaneous process where basic units such as molecules and nanostructured materials form a stable and compact structure. Peptides can self-assemble by non-covalent driving forces to form various morphologies such as nanofibers, nano layered structures, and micelles. Peptide self-assembly technology has become a hot research topic in recent years due to the advantages of definite amino acid sequences, easy synthesis and design of peptides. It has been shown that the self-assembly design of certain peptide drugs or the use of self-assembled peptide materials as carriers for drug delivery can solve the problems such as short half-life, poor water solubility and poor penetration due to physiological barrier. This review summarizes the formation mechanism of self-assembled peptides, self-assembly morphology, influencing factors, self-assembly design methods and major applications in biomedical field, providing a reference for the efficient use of peptides.