Gold nanoparticles functionalized with peptides for specific affinity aggregation assays of estrogen receptors and their agonists.

ABSTRACT: Nuclear receptors regulate the transcription of genes and various functions such as development, differentiation, homeostasis, and behavior by formation of complexes with ligand and co-activator. Recent findings have shown that agonists of a ligand may have a toxic effect on cellular/tissular function through improper activation of nuclear receptors. In this study, a simple assay system of hetero-complexes of three different molecules (estrogen receptor, ligand, and co-activator peptide) has been developed. This assay system employs functionalized gold nanoparticles (GNPs: 15 nm in diameter). The surfaces of the GNPs were modified by a 12- or 20-amino-acid peptide that contains the sequence of co-activator for activating nuclear receptor by an agonist ligand. Owing to the affinity of the p

SUBMITTER: Takatsuji Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3355452 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature