Development of a Multifunctional Nanobiointerface Based on Self-Assembled Fusion-Protein rSbpA/ZZ for Blood Cell Enrichment and Phenotyping

Integrin and Heparan Sulfate Dual-Targeting Peptide Assembly Suppresses Cancer Metastasis

Metastasis is one of the ongoing challenges in cancer therapy which most treatments failed to address. Inspired by the upregulated expression of both integrin β1 and heparan sulfate in metastatic tumors, we developed an integrin/HS dual-targeting peptide assembly that selectively inhibits cancer cell migration and invasion. Particularly, the dual-targeting peptide self-assembles into nanofibrous microdomains specifically on the cancer cell membrane, triggering spatial organization of integrins, which form clusters on the apical membrane. Via the actin cytoskeleton that physically connects to integrin clusters, the oncogene yes-associated protein, which regulates cancer metastasis, is deactivated. We showed that in multiple cancer cell lines, including the highly metastatic pancreatic cancer cells, the dual-targeting peptide exerts potent and dose-dependent antimetastatic effects. Our work illustrates how basic biochemical insights can be exploited as the basis for nano-biointerface fabrication, which is potentially a general design strategy for nanomedicine development.

Combinatorial in Vitro and in Silico Approach To Describe Shear-Force Dependent Uptake of Nanoparticles in Microfluidic Vascular Models

In the present work, we combine experimental and computational methods to define the critical shear stress as an alternative parameter for nanotoxicological and nanomedical evaluations using an in vitro microfluidic vascular model. We demonstrate that our complementary in vitro and in silico approach is well suited to assess the fluid flow velocity above which clathrin-mediated (active) nanoparticle uptake per cell decreases drastically although higher numbers of nanoparticles per cell are introduced. Results of our study revealed a critical shear stress of 1.8 dyn/cm², where maximum active cellular nanoparticle uptake took place, followed by a 70% decrease in uptake of 249 nm nanoparticles at 10 dyn/cm², respectively. The observed nonlinear relationship between flow velocity and nanoparticle uptake strongly suggests that fluid mechanical forces also need to be considered in order to predict potential in vivo distribution, bioaccumulation, and clearance of nanomaterials and novel nanodrugs.