Peptides nanoparticle functionalization

Park Y, Hong HY et al (2008) A new atherosclerotic lesion probe based on hydrophobically modified chitosan nanoparticles functionalized by the atherosclerotic plaque targeted peptides. J Control Release 128 217-223... 

Figure 27 TEM images of the Au-functionalized nanoparti-des designed by Stevens et al. (a) TEM image of the peptide-nanoparticle conjugates at pH 7.4 (b) The same conjugates at pH 4.5. (Reproduced from Ref. 90. Wiley-VCH, 2004.)...

Jiang, J-S. Gan, Z-F. Yang, Y. Du, B. Qian, M. Zhang P. (2009), A novel magnetic fluid based on starch-coated magnetite nanoparticles functionalized with homing peptide. /. Nanopart. Res., 11 1321-1330. 

Inspired by the elastin-based side-chain polymers, Lemieux et al. prepared elastin-based stimulus-responsive gold nanoparticles. To this end, they capped gold particles with a layer of a single repeat of thiol-functionalized VPGVG peptides (Fig. 17a). These nanoparticles showed LCST behavior, which was modulated by varying the pH of the solution [131]. 

Nanoparticle surface modification is of tremendous importance to prevent nanoparticle aggregation prior to injection, decrease the toxicity, and increase the solubility and the biocompatibility in a living system [20]. Imaging studies in mice clearly show that QD surface coatings alter the disposition and pharmacokinetic properties of the nanoparticles. The key factors in surface modifications include the use of proper solvents and chemicals or biomolecules used for the attachment of the drug, targeting ligands, proteins, peptides, nucleic acids etc. for their site-specific biomedical applications. The functionalized or capped nanoparticles should be preferably dispersible in aqueous media. 

In recent years, there has been a lot of research in the utilization of biomolecule-functionalized nanoparticles for the formation of hybrid nanostructures. While much effort was spent on solution systems, there are some examples that exploit the binding specificity of the biomolecules, for example, proteins, peptides, and DNA to assemble nanoparticles on surfaces. 

Mi, F. L., Y. Y. Wu, et al. (2008). Oral delivery of peptide drugs using nanoparticles self-assembled by poly(gamma-glutamic acid) and a chitosan derivative functionalized by trimethylation. Bioconjug Chem 19(6) 1248-55. 

We recently demonstrated a method that reproducibly exploits hot spots in metal nanoparticle aggregates for the trace detection of disease-specific enzymes by design [187]. The scheme, shown in Fig. 10.16a, involves the functionalization of gold nanoparticle with thiolated short peptide sequences terminated by an N-(fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl) (FMOC) group. Nanoparticle aggregation is then driven by n-n interactions between the terminating FMOC groups [157]. Hot spots... 

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