Self-Complementary Zwitterionic Peptides Direct Nanoparticle Assembly and Enable Enzymatic Selection of Endocytic Pathways.

ABSTRACT: Supramolecular self-assembly in biological systems holds promise to convert and amplify disease-specific signals to physical or mechanical signals that can direct cell fate. However, it remains challenging to design physiologically stable self-assembling systems that demonstrate tunable and predictable behavior. Here, the use of zwitterionic tetrapeptide modalities to direct nanoparticle assembly under physiological conditions is reported. The self-assembly of gold nanoparticles can be activated by enzymatic unveiling of surface-bound zwitterionic tetrapeptides through matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9), which is overexpressed by cancer cells. This robust nanoparticle assembly is achieved by multivalent, self-complementary interactions of the zwitterionic tetrapeptides. In cancer cells that

SUBMITTER: Huang RH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9479426 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature