title: Transmembrane delivery of the cell-penetrating peptide conjugated semiconductor quantum dots.
abstract: Conjugation of the cell-penetrating peptide derived from the human immunodeficiency virus-1 transactivator protein (TAT) to semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is an effective way to enhance transmembrane delivery of QDs for intracellular and molecular imaging. In this work, the internalization pathway of TAT-QDs was studied systematically in living cells. Cellular uptake of TAT-QDs, under different endocytosis-inhibiting conditions, was compared by fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry. The results suggest TAT-QDs internalize through lipid-raft-dependent macropinocytosis, which is different from that of FITC-labeled TAT. They also provide new information for better understanding of the TAT-mediated cell uptake mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructures and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qiaoling
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yuliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D019921:Biotinylation; D021941:Caveolae / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004705:Endocytosis; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010873:Pinocytosis; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012666:Semiconductors
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D010455:Peptides; C011934:mica