Interdependence of charge and secondary structure on cellular uptake of cell penetrating peptide functionalized silica nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: The capability of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) to enable translocation of cargos across biological barriers shows promising pharmaceutical potential for the transport of drug molecules, as well as nanomaterials, into cells. Herein, we report on the optimization of a CPP, namely sC18, in terms of its translocation efficiency and investigate new CPPs regarding their interaction with silica nanoparticles (NPs). First, alanine scanning of sC18 yielded 16 cationic peptides from which two were selected for further studies. Whereas in the first case, a higher positive net charge and enhanced amphipathicity resulted in significantly higher internalization rates than sC18, the second one demonstrated reduced cellular uptake efficiencies and served as a control. We then attached these CPPs to si

SUBMITTER: Gessner I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9418617 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature