Intracellular CXCR4⁺ cell targeting with T22-empowered protein-only nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cell-targeting peptides or proteins are appealing tools in nanomedicine and innovative medicines because they increase the local drug concentration and reduce potential side effects. CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a cell surface marker associated with several severe human pathologies, including colorectal cancer, for which intracellular targeting agents are currently missing.

Results

Four different peptides that bind CXCR4 were tested for their ability to internalize a green fluorescent protein-based reporter nanoparticle into CXCR4⁺ cells. Among them, only the 18 mer peptide T22, an engineered segment derivative of polyphemusin II from the horseshoe crab, efficiently penetrated target cells via a rapid, receptor-specific endosomal route. This resulted in acc

SUBMITTER: Unzueta U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3423154 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature