Peptide medicines: past, present, future

This review provides research data on drugs made on the basis of polypeptides isolated from different animal organs. They initiated the development of drugs of a peptide origin. Besides, a group of pharmaceuticals (peptide complexes), created at the Military Medical Academy named after S.M. Kirov (Thymalin, Epithalamin, Cortexin, Prostatilen, Retinalamin) under the supervision of V.Kh. Khavinson in the 80–90-ies of the 20th century has been described. At present, pharmacologists focus on isolation of short di-, tri-, tetrapeptides, identification of their primary structures and subsequent synthesis from amino acids (Thymogen, Vilon, Pinealon, Vesugen, Epitalon, Bronchogen, Cardiogen, etc.). The results of cutting edge investigations of peptide influence on various functions of an organism, gene expression and protein synthesis have been presented. A molecular mechanism of a peptide-DNA interaction has been depicted. Short peptides have been revealed to regulate gene expression, protein synthesis, chromatin state and promote telomeres elongation. Peptides regulate targeted differentiation of pluripotent cells and decrease their replicative ageing. Animals administered with peptides showed a decreased tumor incidence, normalized melatonin level and an increased average life span. To summarize the above, it is worth noting further prospects of studies aimed at creation of novel drugs on the basis of short peptides with targeted regulation of certain gene groups and protein synthesis which underlies the development of pharmacogenomics as fundamentals for future therapy.