RWQWRWQWR-Ahx-KKWQWK

RWQWRWQWR-Ahx-KKWQWK (Peptide 16) is a synthetic hybrid cationic peptide designed for the treatment of cervical cancer. It consists of a palindromic core sequence (RWQWRWQWR) derived from bovine lactoferricin (LfcinB) linked via a 6-aminohexanoic acid (Ahx) spacer to a short anticancer peptide fragment (KKWQWK). Developed by researchers at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, this peptide exhibits selective and rapid cytotoxicity against HeLa and Ca Ski cervical cancer cell lines. Its mechanism of action involves electrostatic interactions between the positively charged arginine and lysine residues and the negatively charged components of the cancer cell surface, followed by tryptophan-mediated interaction with the lipid bilayer, leading to membrane disruption or internalization and subsequent cell death.