Anti-cancer peptide, PNC-27, is a membrane-active peptide that binds to the HDM-2 protein expressed in the cancer cell membranes of solid tissue tumor cells. The peptide induces transmembrane pore formation in cancer, but not in normal cells, resulting in tumor cell necrosis (cell death).
PNC-27 has shown to be highly effective in selectively targeting a wide variety of specific forms of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, melanoma, and additional cancer lines.
Cancer cells have HDM-2 in their cell membranes. When the PNC-27 is administered, it immediately travels to the HDM-2 located in the membranes of cancerous cells. By binding to them it creates pores or holes in the cell membrane causing death of the cell membrane. This, in turn, leads to the destruction of the cancer cell.
When cells are damaged, they sense their damage, and they can pause. This process is called cellular senescence or cellular arrest. Cells are programmed to do this because they don’t want to replicate with damage.
Instead, they pause until the immune system can clear them. Until cleared, senescent cells secrete signals that cause harm to the body. These signals increase inflammation, exhaust stem cells, and cause the body to age more rapidly. While senescence is natural, clearing senescent cells is vital to stop the aging process.
