Concentration-Independent Multivalent Targeting of Cancer Cells by Genetically Encoded Core-Crosslinked Elastin/Resilin-like Polypeptide Micelles.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Valency is a fundamental principle to control macromolecular interactions and is used to target specific cell types by multivalent ligand-receptor interactions using self-assembled nanoparticle carriers. At the concentrations encountered in solid tumors upon systemic administration, these nanoparticles are, however, likely to show critical micelle concentration (CMC)-dependent disassembly and thus loss of function. To overcome this limitation, core-crosslinkable micelles of genetically encoded resilin-/elastin-like diblock polypeptides were recombinantly synthesized. The amphiphilic constructs were covalently photo-crosslinked through the genetically encoded unnatural amino acid para -azidophenylalanine in their hydrophobic block and they carried different anticancer ligands on their hydrophilic block: the wild-type tenth human fibronectin type III domain, a GRGDSPAS peptide-both targeting αv β3 integrin-and an engineered variant of the third fibronectin type III domain of tenascin C that is a death receptor 5 agonist. Although uncrosslinked micelles lost most of their targeting ability below their CMC, the crosslinked analogues remained active at concentrations up to 1000-fold lower than the CMC, with binding affinities that are comparable to antibodies.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Weber, P; Dzuricky, M; Min, J; Jenkins, I; Chilkoti, A
Published Date
- October 2021
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 22 / 10
Start / End Page
- 4347 - 4356
PubMed ID
- 34477380
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC9339257
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1526-4602
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1525-7797
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00897
Language
- eng