Potential Anticancer Activity of Retrocyclin-3: An in vitro Study

Lung cancer is a prevalent and life-threatening disease that requires potent and selective antitumor agents for effective treatment. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have gained popularity as potential antitumor agents due to their reported ability to selectively target tumor cells. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor activity of Retrocyclin-3, a synthetic AMP known for its beta-sheet structure. Our in vitro experiments focused on evaluating the cytotoxic effects of Retrocyclin-3 on A549 lung cancer cells. The results indicated that Retrocyclin-3 induced apoptotic cell death in the cancer cells, as confirmed by fluorescent staining techniques. Flow cytometry analysis also revealed that Retrocyclin-3 caused cell cycle arrest by inducing apoptosis. These findings suggest that Retrocyclin-3 preferentially targets cancer cells, causing necrosis, apoptosis, nucleic effect, and DNA damage. Based on these results, Retrocyclin-3 has promising potential as a therapeutic candidate for further development as an anti-cancer agent.