scholarly journals In Vitro and In Vivo Cell Uptake of a Cell-Penetrating Peptide Conjugated with Fluorescent Dyes Having Different Chemical Properties

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2245
Author(s):  
Hideo Takakura ◽  
Honoka Sato ◽  
Kohei Nakajima ◽  
Motofumi Suzuki ◽  
Mikako Ogawa

In molecular imaging, a targeting strategy with ligands is widely used because specificity can be significantly improved. In fluorescence imaging based on a targeting strategy, the fluorescent dyes conjugated with ligands may affect the targeting efficiency depending on the chemical properties. Herein, we used a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) as a ligand with a variety of fluorescent cyanine dye. We investigated in vitro and in vivo cell uptake of the dye-CPP conjugates when cyanine dyes with differing charge and hydrophilicity/lipophilicity were used. The results showed that the conjugates with positively charged and lipophilic cyanine dyes accumulated in cancer cells in vitro, but there was almost no accumulation in tumors in vivo. On the other hand, the conjugates with negatively charged and hydrophilic cyanine dyes did not accumulate in cancer cells in vitro, but fluorescence was observed in tumors in vivo. These results show that there are some cases in which the cell uptake of the dye-peptide conjugates may differ significantly between in vitro and in vivo experiments due to the chemical properties of the fluorescent dyes. This suggests that attention should be paid to the chemical properties of fluorescent dyes in fluorescence imaging based on a targeting strategy.

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 84-85
Author(s):  
A Diarra ◽  
N Eissa ◽  
J Ghia

Abstract Background Development of ulcerative colitis is associated with epithelial apoptosis mediated by p53-apoptotic pathway through the activation B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated-X protein (BAX) and Bcl-2 antagonist/killer-1 (BAK1) proteins. Chromofungin (CHR), a chromogranin-A derived peptide expressing a cell penetrating peptide motif, decreased the severity of colitis via the suppression of mucosal and pro-inflammatory macrophages-related p53-dependent apoptosis. Aims We aimed to investigate a) whether the gene profile expression of apoptosis could be extended to other p53-associated genes; b) whether the gene expression of some of the p53-apoptosis marker could be confirmed by protein analysis; and c) whether due to the cell penetrating peptide motif, CHR could enter into peritoneal macrophages. Methods UC-related colitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice (7 weeks) by administering dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) (5%, 5 days). Preventive CHR (2.5 mg/kg/day) or vehicle treatment started 1-day before colitis induction and lasted for 5-days. Profiler™ PCR Array was performed to screen a panel of 84 genes representative of the p53 signal pathway in colitic whole mucosa distal colonic samples treated or not with CHR. Western blot analysis was performed to confirm individual protein changes. Naïve macrophages were plated overnight and nonadherent cells were removed the next day. Cells were incubated with rhodamined CHR (4 ul) for 5, 10, 20, 30 min before washing and fixing them, detection was made via confocal microscopy. Results In colitic conditions, an up regulation of 26 genes associated to the p53-dependent apoptosis pathway were detected including Apaf1, Bax, Bbc3, Bcl2, Cradd, Fadd, Cul9, Pmaip1, Tnfrsf10b. In vivo CHR treatment decreased significantly the colitis and was associated with a significant downregulation of 19 genes including the 9 aforementioned when compared with biopsies from colitic groups. Compared to untreated groups, colitic mice treated with CHR demonstrated a significant decrease of BAX and BAK protein and the apoptotic ER stress inducer marker, X-Binding Protein 1. A large number of peritoneal macrophages displayed rhodamine within the all intracellular compartment. The presence of the peptide inside the cell can be visible as early as 5 min and the signal gradually increases. Conclusions CHR decreases the inflammatory process via the suppression of a large number of p53-related apoptotic proteins. CHR quickly enters the macrophage but the exact mechanism of entrance needs to be further defined. Targeting functional analysis of CHR may lead in the future to novel therapeutics for UC. Funding Agencies CCCNSERC


Zygote ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iana S. Campelo ◽  
Alexsandra F. Pereira ◽  
Agostinho S. Alcântara-Neto ◽  
Natalia G. Canel ◽  
Joanna M.G. Souza-Fabjan ◽  
...  

SummaryThe present study investigated the effects of crotamine, a cell-penetrating peptide from rattlesnake venom, at different exposure times and concentrations, on both developmental competence and gene expression (ATP1A1, AQP3, GLUT1 and GLUT3) of in vitro fertilized (IVF) bovine embryos. In Experiment 1, presumptive zygotes were exposed to 0.1 μM crotamine for 6, 12 or 24 h and control groups (vehicle and IVF) were included. In Experiment 2, presumptive zygotes were exposed to 0 (vehicle), 0.1, 1 and 10 μM crotamine for 24 h. Additionally, to visualize crotamine uptake, embryos were exposed to rhodamine B-labelled crotamine and subjected to confocal microscopy. In Experiment 1, no difference (P > 0.05) was observed among different exposure times and control groups for cleavage and blastocyst rates and total cells number per blastocyst. Within each exposure time, mRNA levels were similar (P > 0.05) in embryos cultured with or without crotamine. In Experiment 2, concentrations as high as 10 μM crotamine did not affect (P > 0.05) the blastocyst rate. Crotamine at 0.1 and 10 μM did not alter mRNA levels when compared with the control (P > 0.05). Remarkably, only 1 μM crotamine decreased both ATP1A1 and AQP3 expression levels relative to the control group (P < 0.05). Also, it was possible to visualize the intracellular localization of crotamine. These results indicate that crotamine can translocate intact IVF bovine embryos and its application in the culture medium is possible at concentrations from 0.1–10 μM for 6–24 h.


RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (43) ◽  
pp. 24084-24093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Dan Liu ◽  
Linlin Ming ◽  
...  

Hydrophobic cell penetrating peptide PFVYLI-modified liposomes have been developed for the targeted delivery of PTX into tumors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 1405-1413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iana S. Campelo ◽  
Natalia G. Canel ◽  
Romina J. Bevacqua ◽  
Luciana M. Melo ◽  
Gandhi Rádis-Baptista ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siyuan Yu ◽  
Han Yang ◽  
Tingdong Li ◽  
Haifeng Pan ◽  
Shuling Ren ◽  
...  

AbstractProtein delivery with cell-penetrating peptide is opening up the possibility of using targets inside cells for therapeutic or biological applications; however, cell-penetrating peptide-mediated protein delivery commonly suffers from ineffective endosomal escape and low tolerance in serum, thereby limiting in vivo efficacy. Here, we present an intracellular protein delivery system consisting of four modules in series: cell-penetrating peptide, pH-dependent membrane active peptide, endosome-specific protease sites and a leucine zipper. This system exhibits enhanced delivery efficiency and serum tolerance, depending on proteolytic cleavage-facilitated endosomal escape and leucine zipper-based dimerisation. Intravenous injection of protein phosphatase 1B fused with this system successfully suppresses the tumour necrosis factor-α-induced systemic inflammatory response and acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure in a mouse model. We believe that the strategy of using multifunctional chimaeric peptides is valuable for the development of cell-penetrating peptide-based protein delivery systems, and facilitate the development of biological macromolecular drugs for use against intracellular targets.


Author(s):  
Evgeniya Trofimenko ◽  
Gianvito Grasso ◽  
Mathieu Heulot ◽  
Nadja Chevalier ◽  
Marco A. Deriu ◽  
...  

SummaryCell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) allow intracellular delivery of cargo molecules. CPPs provide efficient methodology to transfer bioactive molecules in cells, in particular in conditions when transcription or translation of cargo-encoding sequences is not desirable or achievable. The mechanisms allowing CPPs to enter cells are ill-defined and controversial. This work identifies potassium channels as key regulators of cationic CPP translocation. Using a CRISPR/Cas9-based screening, we discovered that KCNQ5, KCNN4, and KCNK5 positively modulate CPP cellular direct translocation by reducing transmembrane potential (Vm). Cationic CPPs further decrease the Vm to megapolarization values (about −150 mV) leading to the formation of ∼2 nm-wide water pores used by CPPs to access the cell’s cytoplasm. Pharmacological manipulation to lower transmembrane potential boosted CPPs cellular uptake in zebrafish and mouse models. Besides identifying the first genes that regulate CPP translocation, this work characterizes key mechanistic steps used by CPPs to cross cellular membrane. This opens the ground for pharmacological strategies augmenting the susceptibility of cells to capture CPP-linked cargos in vitro and in vivo.


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