Unveiling the potential of marine peptides in leukemia: mechanistic insights and future horizon in peptide research

Leukemia is a malignant disorder that affects the bone marrow and blood. It is frequently diagnosed in adults, with a higher incidence in males than females. Globally, it ranks as the 15th most widespread cancer and is the 11th leading cause of cancer-related fatalities. The intensity and severity of treatment have increased, leading to a rise in relapse rates, toxicity, and adverse health effects. Therefore, there is a critical need for new treatments. The antileukemic properties of natural compounds have been extensively studied. Aquatic organisms are a rich source of potential medicinal compounds. Anticancer peptides offer an ideal treatment approach due to their anticancer effects and reduced toxicity to normal cells. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the diverse mechanisms through which marine-derived peptides exert their physiological effects, including modulation of cell viability, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, antimitotic and antimetastatic activities, immunostimulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. Additionally, these peptides target alterations in lipid composition and microtubule dynamics within cancer cell membranes. Notably, their efficacy has been proven in multidrug-resistant (MDR) leukemic cell lines, with evidence of synergistic effects when combined with conventional antileukemic therapies. Collectively, these findings support the potential of marine peptides as promising candidates for the development of novel antileukemic agents.