Antitumoral and Antiproliferative Potential of Synthetic Derivatives of Scorpion Peptide IsCT1 in an Oral Cavity Squamous Carcinoma Model.

The oral cavity is a frequent site for head and neck cancers, which rank as the sixth most common cancer globally, with a 5-year survival rate slightly over 50%. Current treatments are limited, and resistance to therapy remains a significant clinical obstacle. IsCT1, a membrane-active peptide derived from the venom of the scorpion , has shown antitumor effects in various cancer cell lines, including breast cancer and chronic myeloid leukemia.

The BR2 peptide associated with 2-aminoethyl dihydrogen phosphate is a formulation with antiproliferative potential for a triple-negative breast cancer model.

Triple-negative breast cancer is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, with worse clinical evolution and tumor-free survival, leading to the need to develop new effective therapies for its control. The present study evaluated the action of tumor-penetrating peptide BR2 associated with 2-aminoethyl dihydrogen phosphate (2-AEHP) on triple-negative breast tumor cells. Cell viability was evaluated by the MTT colorimetric method, mitochondrial electrical potential, and proteins involved in cell proliferation and death control were evaluated by flow cytometry and structural and morphological analysis by confocal microscopy.

Rational design of a trypanocidal peptide derived from Dinoponera quadriceps venom.

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and affects millions of people worldwide, having no effective cure. The main sanitary emergency is related to patients with chronic infection, which accumulate comorbidities causing patient death. However, actual chemotherapeutic treatments do not effectively address the chronic forms of the disease.

Net charge tuning modulates the antiplasmodial and anticancer properties of peptides derived from scorpion venom.

VmCT1, a linear helical antimicrobial peptide isolated from the venom of the scorpion Vaejovis mexicanus, displays broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. Analogs derived from this peptide containing single Arg-substitutions have been shown to increase antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities against Trypanossoma cruzi. Here, we tested these analogs against malaria, an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium protozoa, and assessed their antitumoral properties.

The effect of lysine substitutions in the biological activities of the scorpion venom peptide VmCT1.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are biologically active molecules with a broad-spectrum activity against a myriad of microorganisms. Aside from their antimicrobial functions, AMPs present physicochemical and structural properties that allow them to exert activity against other kind of cells, such as cancer cells. VmCT1 is a potent cationic amphipathic AMP from the venom of the scorpion Vaejovis mexicanus.