Application of bee venom and its main constituent melittin for cancer treatment.
Bee venom and its main constituent melittin (MEL) have been extensively studied in the treatment of tumors. However, the non-specific cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity have hampered the clinical application. Currently, a number of research groups have reported a series of optimization strategies, including gene therapy, recombinant immunotoxin incorporating MEL or MEL nanoparticles, targeting tumor cells to attenuate the cytotoxicity and improve its antitumor efficiency and therapeutic capabilities, which have shown very promising in overcoming some of these obstacles. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding anticancer effects of bee venom and its main compound MEL on different kinds of tumor cells as well as elucidate their possible anticancer mechanisms. It could be concluded that MEL exerts multiple effects on cellular functions of cancerous cells such as proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis as well as cell cycle, and the anticancer processes involve diverse signal molecules and regulatory pathways. We also highlight the recent research progress for efficient delivery of MEL peptide, thus providing new ideas and hopeful strategies for the in vivo application of MEL.
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Cui-Cui
CC
Liu
Spine Surgery, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Ding-Jun
DJ
Hao
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Qian
Q
Zhang
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Jing
J
An
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Jing-Jing
JJ
Zhao
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Bo
B
Chen
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Ling-Ling
LL
Zhang
Translational Medicine Center, Hong-Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710054, China. yanghao.71_99@yahoo.com.
Hao
H
Yang
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008555:Melitten / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D001514:Bee Venoms; D008555:Melitten
Anticancer effect; Bee venom; Mechanism; Melittin; Tumors