title: Rational design of gold nanocarrier for the delivery of JAG-1 peptide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unique properties exhibited by nanoparticles makes them great candidates for applications in physics, chemistry, biology, material science and medicine. The biological applications of water-soluble gold nanoparticles range from contrast agents, delivery vehicles to therapeutics. Notch signaling is a complex network that orchestrates cell fate decisions, which involves proliferation, migration, differentiation and cell death in organisms ranging from insects to humans. Studies have showed that a correct orientation of the Jag-1 signalling protein on the substrates proves to be of great importance when promoting Jagged-1 Notch interactions, also the availability of the ligands, super cedes the importance of their concentration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aim of the present study was to synthetize a Jag-1 functionalized nanocarrier, which would promote an efficient interaction between the Jag-1 peptide and the Notch receptor. To this end, two routes for gold nanoparticle-peptide assembly were investigated, and the synthetized bio-nanostructures were characterized and compared by means of UV-Vis, FT-IR, DLS and AFM techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have obtained a stable, monodisperse, hetero-functionalized GNP-PEG-JAG-1 bio-nanostructure for Notch pathway activation applications.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Surgery Clinic, Department of Nanomedicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. mateatcristian@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cristian T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Matea
authors.affiliation: 3rd Surgery Clinic, Department of Nanomedicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. teodora_mocan@yahoo.com.|Department of Physiology, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. teodora_mocan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Teodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mocan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. flaviu_tabaran@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Flaviu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tabaran
authors.affiliation: 3rd Surgery Clinic, Department of Nanomedicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. cornel.iancu@umfcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Cornel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iancu
authors.affiliation: 3rd Surgery Clinic, Department of Nanomedicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. lucian.mocan@umfcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Lucian-Constantin
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mocan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D004355:Drug Stability; D006046:Gold; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000072100:Jagged-1 Protein; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004337:Drug Carriers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C000606273:JAG1 protein, human; C000606274:Jag1 protein, mouse; D000072100:Jagged-1 Protein; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; D006046:Gold