Objective      To screen the human augmenter of liver regeneration (hALR)-specific binding peptide from phage display random peptide library and investigate its biological activities of inhibiting liver cancer.       Methods      The phage clones that specifica

lly bound with target protein hALR were selected from phage display random peptide library. ELISA was used to identify the specificity of binding between the selected phage and target protein hALR. The acquired DNA inserts were amplified using PCR

and the specific binding peptides were synthesized after sequencing. Methyl tolyl sulfide (MTS) assay was employed to measure the biological activities of the specific binding peptides on the proliferation of human HepG2 liver cancer cells. The biological activities of the specific binding peptides on the growth of human HepG2 cell xenograft tumor was studied through the tumor size in nude mice. The immunogenicity and toxicity of the specific binding peptide on nude mice were also tested.       Results      The specific binding phages were enriched after 3 rounds of biopanning. They showed the specificity on binding with target protein hALR. The specific binding peptide showed inhibition on proliferation of human HepG2 liver cancer cells

in vitro

（The inhibitory rate of 24 hours：46.2%

vs

6.5%，

P

<

0.01；The inhibitory rate of 48 hours：23.6%

vs

5.9%，

P

<

0.05）and on growth of human HepG2 cell xenograft tumor

in vivo

[（1.250±0.512）cm3 

vs

（4.590±0.398）cm3；

P

<

0.01；（1.100±0.453）g

vs

（3.794±0.299）g，

P

<

0.01）

]

. There was no detectable antibody after being immunized by the specific binding peptide and no significant damages on important organs in mice.       Conclusion      A hALR-specific binding peptide is selected from phage display peptide library. The peptide with low immunogenicity and toxicity shows inhibition on the proliferation of liver cancer cells by blocking the effect of hALR

in vitro

and

in vivo

.