vinculin activating peptide

Vinculin activating peptide (VAP) is a novel therapeutic peptide designed to enhance integrin function from within the cell. Developed by researchers at the University of Iowa, VAP works by binding to an amphipathic alpha-helix in the head domain of vinculin, a key actin-binding protein that associates with the cytoplasmic tail of beta-1 integrins. This binding stabilizes the active conformation of vinculin, leading to increased integrin-mediated signaling, enhanced cell-matrix adhesion, and elevated levels of active integrins on the cell surface. In preclinical models of melanoma, VAP has been shown to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents by promoting p53-dependent DNA damage-induced apoptosis, suggesting its potential as an adjuvant therapy for chemoresistant cancers.