Harnessing the potency of scorpion venom-derived proteins: applications in cancer therapy

Abstract

Despite breakthroughs in the development of cancer diagnosis and therapy, most current therapeutic approaches lack precise specificity and sensitivity, resulting in damage to healthy cells. Selective delivery of anti-cancer agents is thus an important goal of cancer therapy. Scorpion venom (SV) and/or body parts have been used since early civilizations for medicinal purposes, and in cultures, SV is still applied to the treatment of several diseases including cancer. SV contains numerous active micro and macromolecules with diverse pharmacological effects. These include potent anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. This review focuses on the recent advances of SV-derived peptides as promising anti-cancer agents and their diagnostic and therapeutic potential applications in cancers such as glioma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. Well-characterized SV-derived peptides are thus needed to serve as potent and selective adjuvant therapy for cancer, to significantly enhance the patients' survival and wellbeing.

Keywords: Anticancer agents; Cancer therapy; Drug development; Drug discovery; Peptide therapeutics; SV-derived peptides.

Fig. 1

a Classification of scorpions, b General morphology and key parts of scorpion body and venom

Fig. 2

Clinical signs and symptoms of mild, oderate, and severe scorpion stings

Fig. 3

Classification of SV according to structure and effect

Fig. 4

Biological properties of scorpion venom

Fig. 5

Chemical profiles of SV representing the multi-therapeutical actions of SVs and their peptides in various cancers