A Novel Fusion Peptide with Potent Anti-Cancer Effects
Reference Number: K 11-06
Inventors: Troyer, Deryl; Seo, Gwi-Moon; Shrestha, Tej; Basel, Matthew; Bossmann, Stefan
Owner: Kansas State University Research Foundation
USPTO Link:
Invention Summary
Targeted, highly effective cancer therapies are highly sought out, especially with
treatments such as pancreatic cancer treatments having limited improvements in the
last forty years. F3 peptides are widely used as a cancer specific targeting peptide
since it binds to nucleolin (abundantly expressed acidic phosphoprotein). Nucleolin
is advantageous because it can be found in vast amounts on the surfaces of cancerous
cells and cancer endothelial cells, but is not present in significant amounts on normal
cell surfaces. Additionally, Saporin is a small protein that inhibits ribosomes, making
the compound very toxic. However, Saporin must be internalized by cells to be toxic.
With these challenges and known facts in mind, researchers at Kansas State University
have developed a new synthetic DNA for targeting and destroying cancerous cells. The
DNA is encoded with the F3 peptide fused to the saporin protein along with a signal
sequence, which results in secretion. This technique harnesses the advantages of both
the F3 peptides and the Saporin protein by utilizing their respective strengths in
order to limit weaknesses. The protein could be delivered by a targeting nanoparticle
or as a next generation approach, tumor-seeking cells can be engineered to deliver
the protein to tumors.
Advantages
- The F3 peptide binds specifically to tumor cells
- Saporin is harmless unless it gets into cells
- Tremendous improvement of minimizing off-target effects
- Tumor-homing cells preferentially migrate into tumors
Applications
- Development as a stealth system to deliver a novel fusion protein that will target cancer cells and destroy them
- The secreted fusion protein could be concentrated and delivered to tumors via targeting nanoparticles to expedite translation to human trials.
- F3 peptide could be used as a transporter for other potent anti-cancer treatments