# Anticancer selenopeptides from food sources: synthesis strategies and multitarget mechanisms

## TL;DR

This review explores selenopeptides from food as potential cancer treatments, highlighting their synthesis and multiple mechanisms to fight cancer safely.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of selenopeptide sources, synthesis methods, and multitarget anticancer mechanisms.

## Key findings

- Selenopeptides inhibit cancer cell proliferation and reduce tumor markers in preclinical and clinical studies.
- They modulate key pathways like PI3K/Akt and activate immune cells to combat cancer.
- Enzymatic hydrolysis and solid/liquid-phase synthesis are effective methods for selenopeptide production.

## Abstract

The dual challenges of drug resistance and toxicity in cancer therapy necessitate the development of new drugs with high efficacy and safety. Selenopeptides, which synergistically combine selenium’s redox regulation capabilities with the tumor-targeting specificity of peptides, represent a promising frontier in antitumor drug development. Based on the recent literature, this review summarizes the sources and preparation methods of selenium peptides, such as enzymatic hydrolysis and solid/liquid-phase synthesis. Furthermore, it elucidates their multitarget mechanisms of action, including the modulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, activation of immune cells, inhibition of angiogenesis, and induction of cancer cell apoptosis. Evidence from in vitro, in vivo and preliminary clinical studies confirms their effectiveness in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and reducing tumor markers. This article reviews the current research progress to provide a comprehensive reference for the clinical translation and application of selenium peptides in cancer therapy.

Biomolecular engineering; Biotechnology; Medical biotechnology