title: Engineering cytochrome-modified silica nanoparticles to induce programmed cell death.
abstract: A low native membrane permeability and ineffective access to the cellular cytosol, together with aggressive proteolytic degradation, often severely hampers the practical application of any therapeutic protein or antibody. Through engineering the charging profile of mesoporous silica nanoparticles, cellular uptake and subsequent subcellular distribution can be controlled. We show herein that programmed cell death can subsequently be induced across a population of cancer cells with remarkable efficacy on conjugating a specific caspase-cascade-activating cytochrome to such cytosol-accessing particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ (UK), Fax: (+44) 1865 272 690.
authors.forename: Wen-Yen
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Gemma-Louise
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Jason J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D049329:Nanostructures; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000235:genetics*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
keywords: apoptosis; endosomal escape; nanomaterials; proteins; therapeutics