Application of Elastin-like Polypeptide in Tumor Therapy

Abstract

Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are stimulus-responsive artificially designed proteins synthesized from the core amino acid sequence of human tropoelastin. ELPs have good biocompatibility and biodegradability and do not systemically induce adverse immune responses, making them a suitable module for drug delivery. Design strategies can equip ELPs with the ability to respond to changes in temperature and pH or the capacity to self-assemble into nanoparticles. These unique tunable biophysicochemical properties make ELPs among the most widely studied biopolymers employed in protein purification, drug delivery, tissue engineering and even in tumor therapy. As a module for drug delivery and as a carrier to target tumor cells, the combination of ELPs with therapeutic drugs, antibodies and photo-oxidation molecules has been shown to result in improved pharmacokinetic properties (prolonged half-life, drug targeting, cell penetration and controlled release) while restricting the cytotoxicity of the drug to a confined infected site. In this review, we summarize the latest developments in the application methods of ELP employed in tumor therapy, with a focus on its conjugation with peptide drugs, antibodies and photosensitizers.

Keywords: elastin-like peptides; peptide drugs; photosensitizer; temperature response; tumor therapy.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of photodynamic therapy using ELP-PS in combination with ELP-PD. T > Tt indicates that ELP aggregation occurs when the temperature is higher than the Tt; when stimulated by light, the aggregated ELPs release the drug.

Figure 2

Ce6-ELP crosslinked through disulfide bonds under near-infrared wavelengths.

Figure 3

Photosensitizer-assisted photothermal and chemical synergistic cancer therapy.