Design of ion channel blocking, toxin-like Kunitz inhibitor peptides from the tapeworm, Echinococcus granulosus, with potential anti-cancer activity.

ABSTRACT: Over-expression of K+ channels has been reported in human cancers and is associated with the poor prognosis of several malignancies. EAG1, a particular potassium ion channel, is widely expressed in the brain but poorly expressed in other normal tissues. Kunitz proteins are dominant in metazoan including the dog tapeworm, Echinococcus granulosus. Using computational analyses on one A-type potassium channel, EAG1, and in vitro cellular methods, including major cancer cell biomarkers expression, immunocytochemistry and whole-cell patch clamp, we demonstrated the anti-tumor activity of three synthetic small peptides derived from E. granulosus Kunitz4 protease inhibitors. Experiments showed induced significant apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation in both cancer cell lines via disruption in

SUBMITTER: Rashno Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10349847 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature