PEG-interspersed nitrilotriacetic acid-functionalized quantum dots for site-specific labeling of prion proteins expressed on cell surfaces.
A strategy has been put forward to fabricate PEG-interspersed nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-functionalized QDs by one-step self-assembly using a mixture of self-synthesized NTA-terminated amphiphilic polymer and 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphoethanolamine-N-[Carboxy(Polyethylene Glycol)2000] (DSPE-PEG-COOH). The process was highly reproducible for facile functionalization of QDs via simultaneous self-assembly of biocompatible PEG molecules onto their surface. An optimized molar ratio of NTA-terminated amphiphilic polymer to DSPE-PEG-COOH was used to obtain NTA-functionalized QDs for site-specific labeling of prion proteins (PrP(C)) expressed on cell surfaces. Fabricated NTA-functionalized QDs can be a good candidate used for real-time visualization of PrP(C) in single live cells so as to clarify the nosogenesis of pathogenic scrapie prion protein (PrP(Sc)).
Xie
Min
M
Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, and State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
Luo
Kan
K
Huang
Bi-Hai
BH
Liu
Shu-Lin
SL
Hu
Jun
J
Cui
Di
D
Zhang
Zhi-Ling
ZL
Xiao
Geng-Fu
GF
Pang
Dai-Wen
DW
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D045663:Quantum Dots
D018621:PrPC Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid