Short and Sweet: Evolution of a Small Glycopeptide from a Bladder Disorder to an Anticancer Lead

The sequence of Antiproliferative Factor (APF). APF consists of a primarily hydrophobic nonapeptide sequence covalently linked to a trisaccharide. Although a terminal sialic acid moiety is present in the natural product, sialylation is not required for APF’s activity, although the presence of a glycan is critical. The de-sialylated peptide, termed asialo-APF (as-APF), has the same biological activity and nearly the same potency of APF. T, threonine; V, valine; P, proline; A, alanine. Used by permission (9).