Antitumor mechanism of antimicrobial peptides

Antimicrobial peptides(AMPs) are a class of small peptides widely existing in many organ isms,some are with broad spectrum of antitumor activities and uneasily to develop drug resistance. In the last decade intensive research has been conducted to determine the role of innate immunity antimicrobial peptides in the killing effect on cancer cells and the antitumor mechanism of antimicrobial peptides. The general antitumor mechanism of antimicrobial peptides is recognized as following: (1)to kill the tumor cells by forming pore on the membrane and leading depolarization of cell membrane,(2) to disturb the cytoskeletal structure,(3) to inhibit the DNA synthesis,interfere with cell proliferation,(4)to act on mitochondria to induce apoptosis of tumor cells,(5) to kill the tumor cells by affecting the immune response. This paper reviewed the molecular mechanism of killing effect of antimicrobial peptides on tumor cells. Key words: Antimicrobial peptide;  Tumor cell;  Mechanism