Identification of Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (uPAR)-Binding Peptides Using Phage Display: Strategy and Downstream Validation

Background

Peptides that selectively bind to cancer-associated proteins are attractive candidates for molecular imaging and targeted therapeutic applications. The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) represents a promising molecular target as it is highly expressed in several cancers and has been linked to cancer aggressiveness, invasion, and metastasis. This study applied an NGS-informed biopanning strategy against uPAR, combined with multi-assay downstream validation, to identify and prioritize candidate peptides.