Cell penetrating peptides for tumor targeting

Anticancer drug delivery has been hindered due to cell membrane permeability and the lack of a selective marker for tumor cells. Cell permeability is related to the bioavailability of drugs and has therefore been considered to be an essential step for achieving therapeutic efficacy. While different types of transporters currently exist, cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) have become one of the most popular and effective tools for intracellular drug delivery. Most of the original CPPs are short peptides with basic residues. The mechanism of CPP cell entry remains to be established; however, the CPPs can deliver any type of molecular cargo including solid nanoparticles. Herein, this paper will discuss the classification of CPPs, the mechanism of cell entry, the application of CPPs in tumor therapy, and recent advances in targeted cell penetration that involve CPPs.