title: Synthesis, structural characterization, and immunological properties of carbon nanotubes functionalized with peptides.
abstract: Carbon nanotubes (NTs) are becoming highly attractive molecules for applications in medicinal chemistry. The main problem of insolubility in aqueous media has been solved by developing a synthetic protocol that allows highly water-soluble carbon NTs to be obtained. As a result, biologically active peptides can be easily linked through a stable covalent bond to carbon NTs. We have demonstrated that a bound peptide from the foot-and-mouth disease virus, corresponding to the 141-159 region of the viral envelope protein VP1, retained the structural integrity and was recognized by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. In addition, this peptide-NT conjugate is immunogenic, eliciting antibody responses of the right specificity. Such a system could be greatly advantageous for diagnostic purposes and could find future applications in vaccine delivery.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UPR 9021 CNRS, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pantarotto
authors.forename: Charalambos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Partidos
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graff
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoebeke
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Briand
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prato
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianco
mesh_terms: D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D029544:Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus / Q000276:immunology; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C442501:VP1 protein, Foot-and-mouth disease virus