Cell-penetrating peptide-functionalized quantum dots for intracellular delivery.
Quantum dots (QDs) are luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals that are widely used as fluorescent probes in biomedical applications, including cellular imaging and tumor tracking. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), also called protein transduction domains (PTDs), are short basic peptides that permeate cell membranes and are able to deliver a variety of macromolecule cargoes, such as DNAs, RNAs, proteins, and nanomaterials. Here we review strategies to couple QDs to CPPs, by either covalent linkages or noncovalent interactions, to provide a tool to study intracellular delivery. This facilitated transport of QDs by CPPs into cells is both simple and efficient. Accordingly, CPP-QD nanoparticles are likely to be of broad utility in biological research and advance the development of medical and pharmaceutical therapeutics.
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan.
Betty R
BR
Liu
Yue-Wern
YW
Huang
Huey-Jenn
HJ
Chiang
Han-Jung
HJ
Lee
D057846:Cell-Penetrating Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry; D010873:Pinocytosis; D021381:Protein Transport; D045663:Quantum Dots
D057846:Cell-Penetrating Peptides