Specific peptides for the therapeutic targeting of oncogenes.
Tumors are dependent on oncogenic proteins for their maintenance and survival. The ideal cancer therapy would include drugs that specifically target these proteins. Many such proteins function through interfaces that can be difficult to target effectively with small molecules. However, recent advances in cell-permeable peptide technology, improving cellular penetration and stability, raise the possibility that specific peptide interference of oncogenic proteins could be successfully translated to the clinic. Several active anti-tumor peptides were recently described. For example, a stable peptide inhibitor of the Hsp90 ATP-binding pocket killed a wide range of tumors in vitro and in vivo, and a peptide inhibitor of the BCL6 oncoprotein was active in B-cell lymphomas; both peptides functioned without toxicity to normal tissues.
Privé
Gilbert G
GG
Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Division of Cancer Genomics and Proteomics, Ontario Cancer Institute, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.
Melnick
Ari
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers; D015195:Drug Design; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; D010455:Peptides