<p>The therapeutic use of proteins often depends on cytosolic access, which is frequently limited by endosomal trapping. Here, we developed pH-responsive amphiphilic peptide nanofibers (NFs) that may facilitate cytosolic protein delivery by selectively destabilizing endosomal membranes. We prepared a series of NFs by varying the number of glutamic acid residues (CE<sub>1</sub>, CE<sub>2</sub>, and CE<sub>3</sub>) appended to β-sheet-forming peptides. The resulting nanofibers were uniform in width and presented hydrophobic surface domains. Among these, CE<sub>2</sub> NFs emerged as optimal: red blood cell hemolysis assays showed strong activity at mildly acidic pH, but they remained inert at neutral pH. In cells, a pH-sensitive FITC–PEG probe revealed a time-dependent increase in fluorescence with CE<sub>2</sub> NFs, which is consistent with the translocation of the probe from acidic endosomes to the neutral cytosol, supporting endosomal-membrane destabilization by CE<sub>2</sub> NFs. Furthermore, in OVA-treated dendritic cells, CE<sub>2</sub> NFs increased surface SIINFEKL–H-2K<sup>b</sup> presentation to levels comparable to the L17E peptide, a reagent known to promote cytosolic protein delivery. These results suggest that CE<sub>2</sub> NFs facilitate the cytosolic translocation of coadministered proteins. In contrast, monomeric peptides showed no endosomal escape-promoting activity, supporting the necessity of self-assembled nanofiber architecture. Collectively, these findings suggest that pH-responsive peptide nanofibers serve as effective facilitators of cytosolic protein delivery via endosome-selective membrane destabilization.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

pH-responsive amphiphilic peptide nanofibers facilitate endosomal escape for cytosolic protein delivery

  • Tomonori Waku,
  • Chikae Sakata,
  • Tomoki Matsuda,
  • Kotone Minato,
  • Hiroyasu Takemoto,
  • Kazuya Matsuo,
  • Akio Kobori

摘要

The therapeutic use of proteins often depends on cytosolic access, which is frequently limited by endosomal trapping. Here, we developed pH-responsive amphiphilic peptide nanofibers (NFs) that may facilitate cytosolic protein delivery by selectively destabilizing endosomal membranes. We prepared a series of NFs by varying the number of glutamic acid residues (CE1, CE2, and CE3) appended to β-sheet-forming peptides. The resulting nanofibers were uniform in width and presented hydrophobic surface domains. Among these, CE2 NFs emerged as optimal: red blood cell hemolysis assays showed strong activity at mildly acidic pH, but they remained inert at neutral pH. In cells, a pH-sensitive FITC–PEG probe revealed a time-dependent increase in fluorescence with CE2 NFs, which is consistent with the translocation of the probe from acidic endosomes to the neutral cytosol, supporting endosomal-membrane destabilization by CE2 NFs. Furthermore, in OVA-treated dendritic cells, CE2 NFs increased surface SIINFEKL–H-2Kb presentation to levels comparable to the L17E peptide, a reagent known to promote cytosolic protein delivery. These results suggest that CE2 NFs facilitate the cytosolic translocation of coadministered proteins. In contrast, monomeric peptides showed no endosomal escape-promoting activity, supporting the necessity of self-assembled nanofiber architecture. Collectively, these findings suggest that pH-responsive peptide nanofibers serve as effective facilitators of cytosolic protein delivery via endosome-selective membrane destabilization.