In:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 120, No. 21 ( 2023-05-23)
Abstract:
H uman s erum a lbumin (HSA) is a highly water-soluble protein with 67% alpha-helix content and three distinct domains (I, II, and III). HSA offers a great promise in drug delivery with enhanced permeability and retention effect. But it is hindered by protein denaturation during drug entrapment or conjugation that result in distinct cellular transport pathways and reduction of biological activities. Here we report using a protein design approach named r everse- QTY (rQTY) code to convert specific hydrophilic alpha-helices to hydrophobic to alpha-helices. The designed HSA undergo self-assembly of well-ordered nanoparticles with highly biological actives. The hydrophilic amino acids, asparagine (N), glutamine (Q), threonine (T), and tyrosine (Y) in the helical B-subdomains of HSA were systematically replaced by hydrophobic leucine (L), valine (V), and phenylalanine (F). HSA rQTY nanoparticles exhibited efficient cellular internalization through the cell membrane albumin binding protein GP60, or SPARC ( s ecreted p rotein, a cidic and r ich in c ysteine)-mediated pathways. The designed HSA rQTY variants displayed superior biological activities including: i) encapsulation of drug doxorubicin, ii) receptor-mediated cellular transport, iii) tumor cell targeting, and iv) antitumor efficiency compare to denatured HSA nanoparticles. HSA rQTY nanoparticles provided superior tumor targeting and antitumor therapeutic effects compared to the albumin nanoparticles fabricated by antisolvent precipitation method. We believe that the rQTY code is a robust platform for specific hydrophobic modification of functional hydrophilic proteins with clear-defined binding interfaces.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0027-8424
,
1091-6490
DOI:
10.1073/pnas.2220173120
Language:
English
Publisher:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
209104-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1461794-8
SSG:
11
SSG:
12
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