title: DNA nanotubes as combinatorial vehicles for cellular delivery.
abstract: This work explores using self-assembled DNA nanostructures as carriers for drug delivery. We have recently developed an organic nanotube system that is assembled from a single component: a 52-base-long DNA single strand. In this work, functional agents (folate as a cancer cell target agent and Cy3 as a fluorescence imaging agent) are conjugated with the DNA strands; the conjugates self-assemble into micrometers-long nanotubes (NTs). The conjugated DNA-NTs can be effectively taken by cancer cells as demonstrated by fluorescence imaging and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. No obvious toxicity has been observed under current experimental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Purdue University, Department of Chemistry, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
authors.forename: SeungHyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Haipeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chengde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D043942:Nanotubes; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005492:Folic Acid