R7-CLIC1pep-linked E3 ligase peptide

R7-CLIC1pep-linked E3 ligase peptide is a peptide-based proteolysis-targeting chimera (ProTAC) designed to target and degrade chloride intracellular channel protein 1 (CLIC1). Developed by researchers at Kyungpook National University, the molecule consists of three functional components: a hepta-arginine (R7) cell-penetrating peptide to facilitate intracellular delivery, a CLIC1-binding peptide (CLIC1pep) identified through phage display, and an E3 ligase-recruiting peptide. CLIC1 is a metamorphic protein upregulated in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma and lung cancer, where it promotes angiogenesis, migration, and metastasis. By recruiting an E3 ligase to CLIC1, this therapeutic candidate induces the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of the target protein, thereby inhibiting tumor cell migration and invasion.