Recent progress in functional peptides designed for tumor-targeted imaging and therapy

Abstract

The diagnosis and therapy of tumors are challenging problems in the medical field. Peptides are derived from living organisms with excellent biocompatibility, low-toxicity/non-toxicity, and negligible immunogenicity, and they have been widely used in the field of biomedicine, especially in tumor sensing and treatment. In recent years, a series of technologies in peptide research (including polypeptide synthesis, phage screening, sequencing, and computer-aided molecular simulations) and the discovery of tumor targeting peptide have been developed. In this review, we summarized the progress of peptide-based materials in tumor therapy, including the development and screening of peptides, and two peptide targeting tumor strategies: targeting tumor high-expressing receptors and targeting tumor microenvironment. We also summarized various tumor imaging methods and treatment methods based on peptides. Furthermore, the advantages and challenges of peptides in the current tumor field and the possible solutions are also discussed.