Nuclear-Targeting Peptides for Cancer Therapy
Xuan Yi1, Irshad Hussain2, Peng Zhang1
1Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Jilin Biomedical Polymers Engineering Laboratory, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Nucleus is the central regulator of cells that controls cell proliferation, metabolism, and cell cycle, and is considered the most important organelle in cells. The precision medicine that can achieve nuclear targeting has achieved good therapeutic effects in anti-tumor therapy. However, the presence of biological barriers such as cell membranes and nuclear membranes in cells limit the delivery of therapeutic agents to the nucleus. Therefore, developing effective nuclear-targeting drug delivery strategies is particularly important. Nuclear-targeting peptides are a class of functional peptides that can penetrate cell membranes and target the nucleus. They mainly recognize and bind to the nuclear transport molecules (such as Importin-α/β) and transport the therapeutic agents to the nucleus through nuclear pore complexes (NPC). This review summarizes the most recent developments of strategies for anti-tumor therapy utilizing nuclear-targeting peptides, which will ultimately contribute to the development of more effective nuclear-targeting strategies to achieve better anti-tumor outcomes.
Insights
Nuclear-targeting peptides offer a promising strategy for precision medicine by overcoming biological barriers to deliver therapeutic agents directly to the cell nucleus for enhanced anti-tumor therapy.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Drug Delivery
- Oncology
Background:
- The nucleus is a critical cell regulator, making nuclear targeting essential for effective precision medicine, particularly in anti-tumor therapies.
- Cell and nuclear membranes present significant barriers to therapeutic agent delivery, necessitating advanced drug delivery strategies.
- Nuclear-targeting peptides are functional peptides that can penetrate these barriers and direct payloads to the nucleus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in nuclear-targeting peptide strategies for anti-tumor therapy.
- To highlight the mechanisms by which nuclear-targeting peptides facilitate drug delivery to the nucleus.
- To underscore the importance of developing effective nuclear-targeting approaches for improved cancer treatment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on nuclear-targeting peptides and their application in anti-tumor therapy.
- Analysis of the molecular mechanisms involving nuclear transport molecules (e.g., Importin-α/β) and nuclear pore complexes (NPCs).
- Summarization of strategies utilizing nuclear-targeting peptides for drug delivery.
Main Results:
- Nuclear-targeting peptides effectively bypass cellular barriers to reach the nucleus.
- These peptides leverage cellular transport machinery, including Importin-α/β and NPCs, for nuclear translocation.
- Various strategies employing nuclear-targeting peptides have shown potential in enhancing anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Nuclear-targeting peptides represent a key innovation in overcoming drug delivery challenges for nuclear-localized therapies.
- Further development of these peptides can lead to more precise and effective anti-cancer treatments.
- This review provides a foundation for future research into advanced nuclear-targeting drug delivery systems.
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