Antitumor Ability of KT2 Peptide Derived from Leukocyte Peptide of Crocodile Against Human HCT116 Colon Cancer Xenografts

Abstract

Background/aim: Many antimicrobial peptides have been shown to have anticancer activity against human cancer cell lines. Cationic KT2 peptide, derived from white blood cell extract of Crocodylus siamensis has antibacterial activity and antitumor activity against human cervical cancer cells, but there are no data on the effect of KT2 peptide on tumor growth in vivo. The anticancer activity of KT2 peptide on human colon cancer xenografts was investigated in nude mice.

Materials and methods: Tumors in nude mice (BALB/c -nu/nu mice) were induced by subcutaneous injection with HCT116 cells. Twelve days after cancer cell xenograft, mice were treated by intratumoral injection with phosphate-buffered saline or KT2 peptide (25 and 50 mg/kg) once every 2 days for a total of four times and mice were sacrificed at 2 days after the last treatment.

Results: KT2 peptide treatment did not lead to significant difference in mouse body weight among groups, but reduced both tumor volume and weight of colon cancer xenografts. Moreover, KT2 peptide increased the expression of apoptotic proteins, such as BCL2-associated X (BAX), cleaved caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and reduced that of BCL2 apoptosis regulator in xenograft tumors.

Conclusion: This finding suggests that KT2 peptide may inhibit tumor growth via apoptosis induction in this mouse model and supports the antitumor ability of KT2 peptide.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; KT2 peptide; anticancer activity; apoptosis; xenograft.