title: Carbon nanotube-assisted optical activation of TGF-β signalling by near-infrared light.
abstract: Receptor-mediated signal transduction modulates complex cellular behaviours such as cell growth, migration and differentiation. Although photoactivatable proteins have emerged as a powerful tool for controlling molecular interactions and signalling cascades at precise times and spaces using light, many of these light-sensitive proteins are activated by ultraviolent or visible light, which has limited tissue penetration. Here, we report a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-assisted approach that enables near-infrared light-triggered activation of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signal transduction, an important signalling pathway in embryonic development and cancer progression. The protein complex of TGF-β and its latency-associated peptide is conjugated onto SWCNTs, where TGF-β is inactive. Upon near-infrared irradiation, TGF-β is released through the photothermal effect of SWCNTs and becomes active. The released TGF-β activates downstream signal transduction in live cells and modulates cellular behaviours. Furthermore, preliminary studies show that the method can be used to mediate TGF-β signalling in living mice.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Yaya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Immune Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Boston and Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Minlong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Ye-Guang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Immune Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Boston and Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Springer
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D036103:Nanotechnology; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta