Mechanism of melittin for anti-tumor effects: Research status and future perspectives

Cancer is a primary cause of mortality in humans. Conventional chemotherapy has hazardous side effects and numerous limitations, necessitating the urgent exploration of novel anti-cancer agents. Based on existing literature and data, this article reviews the anti-tumor mechanism, current application status, and future development of bee venom peptides. The research findings demonstrate that bee venom peptide, a natural cell lytic peptide, possesses many anti-tumor mechanisms, including the direct destruction of tumor cells, the induction of tumor cell apoptosis, and immunological modulation. It can disrupt the integrity of the cell membrane and lead to cell death. It can also activate apoptosis signaling pathways through endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and death receptors, promoting apoptosis of tumor cells. Meanwhile, it can reshape the immune microenvironment and stimulate immune responses. The author also discussed issues such as poor stability, low bioavailability, lack of targeting, and potential safety of bee venom peptides. In the future, it is recommended to develop new derivatives of bee venom peptides and optimize combination therapy strategies.