Antimicrobial Peptides from Fish Show Promising Anticancer Activity in Lab Studies

Across 15 studies published between 2020 and 2024, fish-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) demonstrated broad-spectrum anticancer activity against diverse cancer cell lines. The primary killing mechanisms were apoptosis and necrosis triggered through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage. Notably, these peptides showed selective cytotoxicity — preferentially killing cancer cells while being less toxic to normal cells. Some also exhibited antiangiogenic properties (blocking tumor blood vessel formation).

Systematic mini-review of studies published between 2020 and 2024, sourced from Google Scholar, Scopus, BioMed Central, and ScienceDirect. Fifteen relevant research papers were identified and analyzed for evidence of fish-derived AMP anticancer activity, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic potential.

Cancer treatment needs new drug classes, especially those that can selectively target tumor cells. Fish-derived AMPs offer a promising direction because they kill cancer cells through multiple mechanisms simultaneously, making resistance harder to develop. Their selectivity for cancer cells over normal cells is particularly appealing, as conventional chemotherapy's lack of selectivity causes severe side effects.

The ocean is increasingly recognized as a rich source of bioactive peptides. Fish AMPs join a growing list of marine-derived peptide candidates for cancer therapy, alongside peptides from sea cucumbers, cone snails, and marine sponges. The dual antimicrobial-anticancer activity of these peptides makes evolutionary sense — both bacteria and cancer cells have distinct membrane properties that cationic peptides can exploit. As peptide engineering and delivery technologies improve, marine-derived AMPs could become a new class of cancer therapeutics.

All evidence reviewed is from in vitro (cell culture) studies only — no animal models or human clinical trials are included. In vitro anticancer activity often fails to translate to in vivo efficacy due to peptide instability, poor bioavailability, and immune clearance. The review only covered 15 papers from a 4-year window, which may not capture the full scope of the field.