title: Micelles by self-assembling peptide-conjugate amphiphile: synthesis and structural characterization.
abstract: The chemical synthesis by solid-phase methods of a novel amphiphilic peptide, peptide-conjugate amphiphile (PCA), containing in the same molecule three different functions: (i) the N,N-bis[2-[bis(carboxy-ethyl)amino]ethyl]-L-glutamic acid (DTPAGlu) chelating agent, (ii) the CCK8 bioactive peptide, and (iii) a hydrophobic moiety containing four alkyl chains with 18 carbon atoms each, is reported. In water solution at pH 7.4, PCA self-assembles in very stable micelles at very low concentration [critical micellar concentration (cmc) values of 5 x 10(-7) mol kg(-1)] as confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy. The structural characterization, obtained with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements, indicates that the aggregates are substantially represented by ellipsoidal micelles with an aggregation number of 39 +/- 2 and the two micellar axes of about 52 and 26 A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, CIRPeB University of Naples 'Federico II', & IBB CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Accardo
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tesauro
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Pozzo
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mangiapia
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paduano
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morelli
mesh_terms: D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D015394:Molecular Structure; D033363:Neutron Diffraction; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D012844:Sincalide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008823:Micelles; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C410885:cholecystokinin 8; D014867:Water; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D012844:Sincalide