Progressive Advances in Anti-Cancer Studies of an Alpha Fetoprotein-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide: A Review and Meta-analysis

Gerald J Mizejewski.

Abstract

The present review and meta-analysis presents the progressive tracking and advances following the discovery of an alpha-fetoprotein derived antimicrobial peptide, named the Growth Inhibitory Peptide (GIP). The discovery of a concealed GIP epitope on Human AFP has given rise to multiple potential medical peptide applications related to cancer detection, therapy, and treatments. GIP has been demonstrated to possess the capacity to inhibit the growth and proliferation of multiple cancer cells both in cell culture and in animal models. GIP was further found to inhibit cancer growth in nude mice implanted subcutaneously using the GI-101 human breast cancer cell line. GIP was also utilized to study mouse mammary tumor growth and induced ascites fluid production; both metrics were similarly inhibited. Microscopic tracking of GIP by immunohistochemiscal methods determined that GIP entered tumor cells by pore formation, became distributed diffusely throughout the cytoplasm, and eventually accumulated in a perinuclear fashion surrounding the nucleus. Overall, GIP was found to inhibit the unregulated growth of both malignant and benign tumors after homing onto cancer cells and penetrating into their cytoplasmic interior.