Peptide name : PCC-1

Source/Organism : Poecilocoris lewisi

Linear/Cyclic : Linear

Chirality : L

Peptide length: 17

C-terminal modification: Linear

N-terminal modification : Amidation

Non-natural peptide information:

Assay type : MTS assay

Assay time : 48-h

Activity : IC50 = 50.8 µM

Cell line : SK-Mel-28

Cancer type : Skin Cancer

Other activity : Antimicrobial

Amino acid composition bar chart :

Molecular mass : 2032.5604 Dalton

Aliphatic index : 1.147

Instability index : 14.7529

Hydrophobicity (GRAVY) : -0.1

Isoelectric point : 10.676

Charge (pH 7) : 5.7552

Aromaticity : 11.76

Molar extinction coefficient (cysteine, cystine): (0, 0)

Hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratio : 1.125

hydrophobic moment : -0.651

Missing amino acid : C,E,G,H,M,N,P,Q,S,T,W,Y

Most occurring amino acid : K

Most occurring amino acid frequency : 6

Least occurring amino acid : R

Least occurring amino acid frequency : 1

Secondary structure fraction (Helix, Turn, Sheet): (58., 5.8, 41.)

SMILES Notation: CC[C@H](C)[C@H](NC(=O)[C@H](CC(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@H](Cc1ccccc1)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCCN)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](Cc1ccccc1)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCCN)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCCN)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCCN)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCNC(=N)N)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCCN)NC(=O)[C@@H](N)CCCCN)C(C)C)C(C)C)C(=O)O

1 : Lee RH, et al. Antitumorigenic effect of insect-derived peptide poecilocorisin-1 in human skin cancer cells through regulation of Sp1 transcription factor. Sci Rep. 2021; 11:18445. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-97581-0

Paper title : Antitumorigenic effect of insect-derived peptide poecilocorisin-1 in human skin cancer cells through regulation of Sp1 transcription factor.

Doi : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97581-0

Abstract : Malignant melanoma is highly resistant to conventional treatments and is one of the most aggressive types of skin cancers. Conventional cancer treatments are limited due to drug resistance, tumor selectivity, and solubility. Therefore, new treatments with fewer side effects and excellent effects should be developed. In previous studies, we have analyzed antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which showed antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects in insects, and some AMPs also exhibited anticancer efficacy. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are known to have fewer side effects and high anticancer efficacy. In this study, the insect-derived peptide poecilocorisin-1 (PCC-1) did not induce toxicity in the human epithelial cell line HaCaT, but its potential as an anticancer agent was confirmed through specific effects of antiproliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest in two melanoma cell lines, SK-MEL-28 and G361. Additionally, we discovered a novel anticancer mechanism of insect-derived peptides in melanoma through the regulation of transcription factor Sp1 protein, which is overexpressed in cancer, apoptosis, and cell cycle-related proteins. Taken together, this study aims to clarify the anticancer efficacy and safety of insect-derived peptides and to present their potential as future therapeutic agents.