Endogenous antimicrobial peptides show anticancer and immunotherapy-enhancing potential for cancer treatment | Research

The takeaway

Review of endogenous AMPs (LL-37, HNP, lactoferrin) shows anticancer activity through apoptosis induction, wound healing promotion, and immune modulation, making them candidates for cancer immunotherapy due to their selectivity, bioavailability, and immune system harmony.

Natural cancer fighters
Endogenous antimicrobial peptides (LL-37, HNP, lactoferrin) combine direct anticancer killing with immune system enhancement—natural agents for cancer immunotherapy

What the researchers found

AMPs with anticancer activity: LL-37, HNP, lactoferrin. Mechanisms: apoptosis induction, wound healing, immune modulation. Advantages: abundance, bioavailability, safety, immune compatibility. Applications: standalone or with immunotherapy.

Why it matters

Cancer immunotherapy often lacks selectivity between normal and cancer cells. AMPs' natural selectivity and immune-enhancing properties could improve immunotherapy precision and effectiveness.

How the study worked

Narrative review of endogenous AMP anticancer properties and immunotherapy potential.

What this study cannot tell us

Review format. Most anticancer data preclinical. AMP stability and delivery challenges. Not all AMPs are equally selective for cancer vs normal cells.

How to read the evidence

Narrative review of preclinical evidence. Broad overview of the field.

When this study was published

Published in 2025.

The bigger picture

The innate immune system has evolved cancer-fighting peptides that we are only beginning to exploit therapeutically. Combining AMPs with modern immunotherapy could create powerful synergistic anti-cancer strategies.

Questions still open

Which AMPs are closest to cancer clinical trials?
Could AMP-immunotherapy combinations improve checkpoint inhibitor response rates?
Are endogenous AMP levels prognostic for cancer outcomes?

Common questions

Can the body's own defense peptides fight cancer?

Growing evidence says yes. Peptides like LL-37 and lactoferrin—which our bodies naturally produce to fight infections—also kill cancer cells through multiple mechanisms. They induce cancer cell death, enhance immune recognition of tumors, and promote wound healing.

Could antimicrobial peptides improve cancer immunotherapy?

They could complement it. Current immunotherapy sometimes lacks selectivity, attacking healthy cells alongside cancer. AMPs naturally distinguish between normal and abnormal cells and could help direct the immune response more precisely toward tumors while reducing collateral damage.

Read the original research

The Potential Effect of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides in Cancer Immunotherapy and Prevention.

Journal of peptide science : an official publication of the European Peptide Society, 31(2), e3664

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Tran, Tuan Hiep; Le, Thanh Huong; Tran, Thi Thu Phuong. (2025). The Potential Effect of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides in Cancer Immunotherapy and Prevention.. Journal of peptide science : an official publication of the European Peptide Society, 31(2), e3664. https://doi.org/10.1002/psc.3664