Peptide Inhibitors for Viral Infections and as Anti-inflammatory Agents

IFN-gamma and IL-10 are cytokine signaling molecules that play fundamental roles in inflammation, cancer growth and autoimmune diseases.  Unfortunately, there are no specific inhibitors of IFN-gamma or IL-10 on the market to date.

NCI investigators at the Cancer and Inflammation Program have synthesized short peptides that selectively interfere with dimerization of the cytokines and their binding to the corresponding receptor. The peptides include metabolically stable lipopeptides mimicking conserved regions of IL-10 and IFN-gamma receptors that interfere with STAT3 and STAT1 phosphorylation and subsequent signaling. The lipopeptides strongly inhibit STAT3 and STAT1-dependent growth of cancer cells. These compounds are promising drug candidates for the treatment of cancer and many infectious and inflammatory diseases.