G protein-coupled receptors function as logic gates for nanoparticle binding and cell uptake.

ABSTRACT: More selective interactions of nanoparticles with cells would substantially increase their potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Thus, it would not only be highly desirable that nanoparticles can be addressed to any cell with high target specificity and affinity, but that we could unequivocally define whether they rest immobilized on the cell surface as a diagnostic tag, or if they are internalized to serve as a delivery vehicle for drugs. To date no class of targets is known that would allow direction of nanoparticle interactions with cells alternatively into one of these mutually exclusive events. Using MCF-7 breast cancer cells expressing the human Y(1)-receptor, we demonstrate that G protein-coupled receptors provide us with this option. We show that quantum dots carry

SUBMITTER: Hild W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2890824 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature