Emerging Peptide-Based Technologies in Cancer Therapy

Peptides have emerged as powerful platform technologies to engineer effective therapies against cancer. Peptides play significant role as clinically important molecules in developing next-generation cancer therapeutics by targeting signalling pathways, cell cycle, tumour suppressor protein, transcription factor, ion channels, several G-protein-coupled receptors and matrix metalloproteinases MMP 2 and MMP 9. Peptide-based cancer vaccines also hold huge promise in cancer treatment. Peptide-based biomarkers have immense potential to facilitate the early detection of cancer and thus increase the lifespan of cancer patients. Additionally, peptides also act as safe clinically suitable molecular medicine transporters for cancer treatment. Cell-penetrating cationic peptides, lipopeptides, amphipathic peptides and mini-proteins facilitate nucleic acid-based drug delivery and can be exploited for developing siRNA-based nanotherapeutics and combination therapy against cancer. Peptide-based medicines and molecular transporters play significant role in managing adaptive chemotherapeutic drug resistance and metastasis against cancer. Here we have discussed the current status and emerging opportunities of peptides as molecular medicines and molecular transporters.