Transmembrane Delivery of the Cell-Penetrating Peptide Conjugated Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Bo Chen†‡, Qiaoling Liu†‡, Yuliang Zhang†, Li Xu† and Xiaohong Fang*†
Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructures and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100080, People’s Republic of China, and Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, People’s Republic of China
Langmuir, 2008, 24 (20), pp 11866–11871
DOI: 10.1021/la802048s
Publication Date (Web): September 27, 2008
Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society
†

Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructures and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

,
‡

Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

,
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: xfang@iccas.ac.cn.

Abstract

Abstract Image

Conjugation of the cell-penetrating peptide derived from the human immunodeficiency virus-1 transactivator protein (TAT) to semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is an effective way to enhance transmembrane delivery of QDs for intracellular and molecular imaging. In this work, the internalization pathway of TAT-QDs was studied systematically in living cells. Cellular uptake of TAT-QDs, under different endocytosis-inhibiting conditions, was compared by fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry. The results suggest TAT-QDs internalize through lipid-raft-dependent macropinocytosis, which is different from that of FITC-labeled TAT. They also provide new information for better understanding of the TAT-mediated cell uptake mechanism.

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History

  • Published In Issue October 21, 2008
  • Article ASAPSeptember 27, 2008
  • Received: June 30, 2008
    Revised: August 23, 2008

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