Peptide-Based Prodrug Approaches for Cancer Nanomedicine

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Drug Delivery
• Cancer Therapy

Background:

• Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are emerging as single-component nanomedicines.
• Peptide moieties enhance stability and enable self-assembly into nanostructures.
• PDCs are explored for targeted cancer therapy, multidrug resistance (MDR) prevention, and theranostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review strategies for targeted delivery of small molecules and theranostic applications using PDCs.
• To highlight the development of smart PDCs for overcoming tumor heterogeneity.
• To discuss the conceptual approach of inducing apoptosis-targeted therapy via smart PDC nanomedicines.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on peptide-based prodrugs and nanomedicine strategies.
• Analysis of PDC functionalities, including stability, self-assembly, and targeting capabilities.
• Exploration of smart PDC designs for enhanced therapeutic and diagnostic outcomes.

Main Results:

• PDCs offer stability and self-assembly into functional nanostructures.
• Various PDCs have been developed for targeted cancer therapy, MDR prevention, and theranostics.
• Smart PDCs are designed to address tumor heterogeneity and induce apoptosis.

Conclusions:

• PDCs represent a versatile platform for advanced cancer nanomedicine.
• Targeted delivery and apoptosis induction are key strategies enabled by smart PDCs.
• Further development of PDC composites holds promise for theranostic applications.