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Protein & Peptide Letters

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 0929-8665
ISSN (Online): 1875-5305

Anionic Host Defence Peptides from the Plant Kingdom: Their Anticancer Activity and Mechanisms of Action

Author(s): Frederick Harris, Saurabh Prabhu, Sarah R. Dennison, Timothy J. Snape, Robert Lea, Manuela Mura and David A. Phoenix

Volume 23, Issue 8, 2016

Page: [676 - 687] Pages: 12

DOI: 10.2174/0929866523666160511151215

Price: $65

Abstract

It is becoming increasingly clear that plants ranging across the plant kingdom produce anionic host defence peptides (AHDPs) with potent activity against a wide variety of human cancers cells. In general, this activity involves membrane partitioning by AHDPs, which leads to membranolysis and / or internalization to attack intracellular targets such as DNA. Several models have been proposed to describe these events including: the toroidal pore and Shai-Matsuzaki-Huang mechanisms but, in general, the mechanisms underpinning the membrane interactions and anticancer activity of these peptides are poorly understood. Plant AHDPs with anticancer activity can be conveniently discussed with reference to two groups: cyclotides, which possess cyclic molecules stabilized by cysteine knot motifs, and other ADHPs that adopt extended and α-helical conformations. Here, we review research into the anticancer action of these two groups of peptides along with current understanding of the mechanisms underpinning this action.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, anticancer, anionic host defence peptides.


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