Oligoalanine helical callipers for cell penetration

Boron clusters as broadband membrane carriers

The membrane translocation of hydrophilic substances constitutes a challenge for their application as therapeutic compounds and labelling probes^1–4. To remedy this, charged amphiphilic molecules have been classically used as carriers^3,5. However, such amphiphilic carriers may cause aggregation and non-specific membrane lysis^6,7. Here we show that globular dodecaborate clusters, and prominently B₁₂Br₁₂²⁻, can function as anionic inorganic membrane carriers for a broad range of hydrophilic cargo molecules (with molecular mass of 146–4,500 Da). We show that cationic and neutral peptides, amino acids, neurotransmitters, vitamins, antibiotics and drugs can be carried across liposomal membranes. Mechanistic transport studies reveal that the carrier activity is related to the superchaotropic nature of these cluster anions^8–12. We demonstrate that B₁₂Br₁₂²⁻ affects cytosolic uptake of different small bioactive molecules, including the antineoplastic monomethyl auristatin F, the proteolysis targeting chimera dBET1 and the phalloidin toxin, which has been successfully delivered in living cells for cytoskeleton labelling. We anticipate the broad and distinct delivery spectrum of our superchaotropic carriers to be the starting point of conceptually distinct cell-biological, neurobiological, physiological and pharmaceutical studies.

The superchaotropic nature of globular boron cluster anions enables direct passage of a wide range of molecules across lipid membranes.

Glycan shields for penetrating peptides

We here describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of glycan shields for cell penetrating peptides. A new benzyl alkoxyamine connector was employed for the coupling of two saccharides units in the lateral side chain of individual amino acids in a peptide sequence. The oxyme bond formation with the corresponding glycan aldehydes allowed the preparation of highly glycosylated penetrating peptides with a minimal synthetic effort. Surprisingly, it was found that a four to six saccharide substitution did not decrease uptake efficiency in cells, whereas it significantly improved the toxicity profile of the penetrating peptide. In particular, glucose substitution was confirmed as an optimal glycan shield that showed an excellent in vitro uptake and intracellular localization as well as a superior in vivo biodistribution.

Short oligoalanine helical peptides for supramolecular nanopore assembly and protein cytosolic delivery

In this work we report a rational design strategy for the identification of new peptide prototypes for the non-disruptive supramolecular permeation of membranes and the transport of different macromolecular giant cargos. The approach targets a maximal enhancement of helicity in the presence of membranes with sequences bearing the minimal number of cationic and hydrophobic moieties. The here reported folding enhancement in membranes allowed the selective non-lytic translocation of different macromolecular cargos including giant proteins. The transport of different high molecular weight polymers and functional proteins was demonstrated in vesicles and in cells with excellent efficiency and optimal viability. As a proof of concept, functional monoclonal antibodies were transported for the first time into different cell lines and cornea tissues by exploiting the helical control of a short peptide sequence. This work introduces a rational design strategy that can be employed to minimize the number of charges and hydrophobic residues of short peptide carriers to achieve non-destructive transient membrane permeation and transport of different macromolecules.

The helical enhancement of a short oligoalanine peptide scaffold in anionic membranes triggered the supramolecular assembly of a nanopore, which allowed the transport and release of proteins in the cytosol of cells and tissues.

An Adhesive Peptide from the C-Terminal Domain of α-Synuclein for Single-Layer Adsorption of Nanoparticles onto Substrates

The two-dimensional (2D) homogeneous assembly of nanoparticle monolayer arrays onto a broad range of substrates constitutes an important challenge for chemistry, nanotechnology, and material science. α-Synuclein (αS) is an intrinsically disordered protein associated with neuronal protein complexes and has a high degree of structural plasticity and chaperone activity. The C-terminal domain of αS has been linked to the noncovalent interactions of this protein with biological targets and the activity of αS in presynaptic connections. Herein, we have systematically studied peptide fragments of the chaperone-active C-terminal sequence of αS and identified a 17-residue peptide that preserves the versatile binding nature of αS. Attachment of this short peptide to gold nanoparticles afforded colloidally stable nanoparticle suspensions that allowed the homogeneous 2D adhesion of the conjugates onto a wide variety of surfaces, including the formation of crystalline nanoparticle superlattices. The peptide sequence and the strategy reported here describe a new adhesive molecule for the controlled monolayer adhesion of metal nanoparticles and sets a stepping-stone toward the potential application of the adhesive properties of αS.

Trapped! A Critical Evaluation of Methods for Measuring Total Cellular Uptake versus Cytosolic Localization

Biomolecules have many properties that make them promising for intracellular therapeutic applications, but delivery remains a key challenge because large biomolecules cannot easily enter the cytosol. Furthermore, quantification of total intracellular versus cytosolic concentrations remains demanding, and the determination of delivery efficiency is thus not straightforward. In this review, we discuss strategies for delivering biomolecules into the cytosol and briefly summarize the mechanisms of uptake for these systems. We then describe commonly used methods to measure total cellular uptake and, more selectively, cytosolic localization, and discuss the major advantages and drawbacks of each method. We critically evaluate methods of measuring "cell penetration" that do not adequately distinguish total cellular uptake and cytosolic localization, which often lead to inaccurate interpretations of a molecule's cytosolic localization. Finally, we summarize the properties and components of each method, including the main caveats of each, to allow for informed decisions about method selection for specific applications. When applied correctly and interpreted carefully, methods for quantifying cytosolic localization offer valuable insight into the bioactivity of biomolecules and potentially the prospects for their eventual development into therapeutics.

Effect of the Aspect Ratio of Coiled-Coil Protein Carriers on Cellular Uptake

We showed previously that a rigid and fibrous-structured cationic coiled-coil artificial protein had cell-penetrating activity that was significantly greater when compared with a less-structured cell-penetrating peptide. Nanomaterials with anisotropic structures often show aspect-ratio-dependent unique physicochemical properties, as well as cell-penetrating activities. In this report, we have designed and demonstrated the cell-penetrating activity of a shorter cationic coiled-coil protein. An aspect ratio at 4.5:1 was found to be critical for ensuring that the cationic coiled-coil protein showed strong cell-penetrating activity. At an aspect ratio of 3.5:1, the cationic coiled-coil protein showed cell-penetrating activity that was similar to a less-structured short cationic cell-penetrating peptide. Interestingly, at an aspect ratio of 4:1, the cationic coiled-coil protein exhibited intermediate cell-penetrating activity. These findings should aid in the principle design of intracellular drug delivery carriers including coiled-coil artificial proteins, their derivatives, and α-helical cell-penetrating peptides as well as provide a framework for developing synthetic nanomaterials, such as metal nanorods and synthetic polymers.