Enhanced cell uptake via non-covalent decollation of a single-walled carbon nanotube-DNA hybrid with polyethylene glycol-grafted poly(l-lysine) labeled with an Alexa-dye and its efficient uptake in a cancer cell

Abstract

The use of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for biomedical applications is a promising approach due to their unique outer optical stimuli response properties, such as a photothermal response triggered by near-IR laser irradiation. The challenging task in order to realize such applications is to render the SWNTs biocompatible. For this purpose, the stable and homogeneous functionalization of the SWNTs with a molecule carrying a biocompatible group is very important. Here, we describe the design and synthesis of a polyanionic SWNT/DNA hybrid combined with a cationic poly(l-lysine) grafted by polyethylene glycol (PLL-g-PEG) to provide a supramolecular SWNT assembly. A titration experiment revealed that the assembly undergoes an approximately 1 : 1 reaction of the SWNT/DNA with PLL-g-PEG. We also found that SWNT/DNA is coated with PLL-g-PEG very homogeneously that avoids the non-specific binding of proteins on the SWNT surface. The experiment using the obtained supramolecular hybrid was carried out in vitro and a dramatic enhancement in the cell uptake efficiency compared to that of the SWNT/DNA hybrid without PLL-g-PEG was found.

Overcoming Nonviral Gene Delivery Barriers: Perspective and Future

“…7 Successful gene delivery studies have been completed using structures such as PEG- b -cationic polymers 46, 80, 81 and cationic polymers- g -PEG. 82–85 However, a contradictory report indicates that PEGylation without efficient release of the PEG moiety results in a lower surface charges and a subsequent decrease in both cellular uptake and gene delivery. 86 Thus, PEGylated CPs were synthesized with acid-labile or disulfide linkages which are designed to degrade upon exposure to acidic conditions and, as a result, improve gene delivery.…”

Fuel Cell Electrocatalyst Using Polybenzimidazole‐Modified Carbon Nanotubes As Support Materials

“…Based on the surface modification of CNTs, we have studied fundamental studies including the determination of the precise redox potentials of isolated single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with 15 different chiral indices (n,m),71–73 the detection of both the positive trion (positively charged exciton) and negative trion (negatively charged exciton) as a three‐particle bound state in the SWNTs at room temperature by an in situ photoluminescence spectroelectrochemistry method for an isolated SWNT film cast on an ITO electrode,74 introduction of thermodynamics on soluble carbon nanotubes75 and chiral‐selective separation of SWNTs 76–82. Bioapplications83–85 using solubilized CNTs are of importance because CNTs have specific absorption in the near IR wavelength region, which enable photothermal conversion by irradiation of near‐IR laser light 86…”

“…Such an effective reinforcement in the SWNT/PBIs is due to the strong physical interaction between the PBIs and the SWNT surfaces. Although a large number of papers on CNT/polymer composites have been reported,84, 85 the papers describing CNT‐derived substantial reinforcement of mechanical properties have been limited 220. A representative of successful example is seen in an SWNT/PBO composite reported by Kumar et al, in which a 10 wt%‐addition of SWNTs achieves resulted in an approximately 50% ‐increase in the tensile strength.…”

Effects of Polydopamine Functionalization on Boron Nitride Nanotube Dispersion and Cytocompatibility

“…Alternatively, non-covalent approaches such the use of amphiphilic molecules for dispersion has been successfully applied for CNT formulations [22][23][24][25][26] commonly in conjunction with an ultra-sonication process 27- 33 .…”