title: Peptide-based carbon nanotubes for mitochondrial targeting.
abstract: In the present study, we report the design and synthesis of peptide-based-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to target mitochondria. Targeting these intracellular organelles might open the way to develop alternative systems to address diseases related to genetic mutations in mitochondrial (mt)-DNA, by delivering therapeutic oligonucleotides. The first step towards mitochondrial delivery of this type of nucleic acid was to target MWCNTs to mitochondria by covalent functionalization with a well-known endogenous mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS). The subcellular localization of the conjugates, which were fluorescently labeled, in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and human HeLa cells was then studied using different microscopy techniques, such as wide-field epifluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The localization of the MTS-MWCNT conjugates into mitochondria was further confirmed by analyzing the isolated organelles using TEM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, Trieste, 34127, Italy. prato@units.it.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battigelli
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russier
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Venturelli
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabbro
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petronilli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Da Ros
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prato
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianco
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010455:Peptides; D012235:Rhodamines; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols