title: Gold Nanocluster Decorated Polypeptide/DNA Complexes for NIR Light and Redox Dual-Responsive Gene Transfection.
abstract: Endo/lysosomal escape and subsequent nuclear translocation are recognized as the two major challenges for efficient gene transfection. Herein, nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptide sequences and oligomeric lysine sequences were crosslinked via disulfide bonds to obtain glutathione (GSH) reducible polypeptide (pNLS). The pNLS could condense DNA into compact positive-charged complexes with redox sensitivity, and then gold nanoclusters (AuNC) were further decorated to the surface via electrostatic interactions obtaining versatile pNLS/DNA/AuNC complexes. The AuNC could generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under NIR-irradiation and accelerate the endo/lysosomal escape of the complexes, and then the pNLS sequence degraded by GSH in cytoplasm would release the DNA and facilitate the subsequent nuclear translocation for enhanced gene transfection.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. rachel914rae@163.com.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. lunalu025@163.com.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. ronglei@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. chm128256@163.com.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. yx-sun@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yun-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. xz-zhang@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xian-Zheng
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D011992:Endosomes / Q000235:genetics; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008239:Lysine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000235:genetics; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals / Q000737:chemistry*; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006046:Gold; D008239:Lysine
keywords: NIR-responsive; endo/lysosomal escape; gene delivery; nuclear localization signal; redox-responsive