Fibronectin-binding nanoparticles for intracellular targeting addressed by B. burgdorferi BBK32 protein fragments.
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are created by the self-assembly of multiple copies of envelope and/or capsid proteins from many viruses, mimicking the conformation of a native virus. Such noninfectious nanostructures are mainly used as antigen-presenting platforms, especially in vaccine research; however, some of them recently were used as scaffolds in biotechnology to produce targeted nanoparticles for intracellular delivery. This study demonstrates the creation of fusion VLPs using hepatitis B core protein-based system maintaining a fibronectin-binding property from B. burgdorferi BBK32 protein, including the evidence of particles' transmission to BHK-21 target cells via caveolae/rafts endocythosis. These results make this construct to be an attractive model in development of HBc-based nanoparticles for cellular targeting applications and highlights the fragment of B. burgdorferi BBK32 as a novel cellular uptake-promoting peptide.


BACKGROUND
This paper discusses the nanotechnology-based application of self-assembling viral-like peptides (VLP-s) for targeted delivery using a hepatitis B core protein based system. Creating fusion VLPs may be an attractive model for cellular targeting applications.
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia. renate_r@biomed.lu.lv
Renate
R
Ranka
Ivars
I
Petrovskis
Irina
I
Sominskaya
Janis
J
Bogans
Ruta
R
Bruvere
Inara
I
Akopjana
Velta
V
Ose
Irena
I
Timofejeva
Kalvis
K
Brangulis
Pauls
P
Pumpens
Viesturs
V
Baumanis
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010957:Plasmids
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D005353:Fibronectins