title: On the selectivity and efficacy of defense peptides with respect to cancer cells.
abstract: Here, we review potential determinants of the anticancer efficacy of innate immune peptides (ACPs) for cancer cells. These determinants include membrane-based factors, such as receptors, phosphatidylserine, sialic acid residues, and sulfated glycans, and peptide-based factors, such as residue composition, sequence length, net charge, hydrophobic arc size, hydrophobicity, and amphiphilicity. Each of these factors may contribute to the anticancer action of ACPs, but no single factor(s) makes an overriding contribution to their overall selectivity and toxicity. Differences between the anticancer actions of ACPs seem to relate to different levels of interplay between these peptide and membrane-based factors.
authors.affiliation: School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dennison
authors.forename: Jaipaul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Phoenix
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010455:Peptides