SOME FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE DE NOVO DESIGN OF ANTICANCER PEPTIDES

Abstract

Background: More than 10 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year and the incidences continue to increase, making it one of the top causes of death in the world. Anticancer peptide (ACP) therapeutics is an emerging and promising strategy in the treatment of cancer as it offers several advantages over conventional chemotherapy.
Objective: The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the structural properties of ACPs and the associated molecular descriptors to be considered in their de novo design.
Methods: This study reviewed the factors to be considered in the de novo design of ACPs. A literature search in Google
Scholar and PubMed was conducted for the relevant original research and review articles on the structural properties of
ACPs. Related articles published in English were selected, studied and discussed. Results: As revealed by the selected
articles, the key factors to be considered in ACP design include druggability, allergenicity and toxicity, stability, tumorhoming ability, and cell-penetrating ability. Utilizing in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, and these parameters may be assessed, and they considerably increase the ACP's efficacy and safety.
Conclusion: ACPs have shown great promise in the treatment of cancers. With good design, they can emerge as the best alternative to the small molecule drugs used for chemotherapy