Issue 10, 2009

Carbon nanotubes as a proteintoxin transporter for selective HER2-positive breast cancer cell destruction

Abstract

The recombined ricin A chain protein (RTA) was transported into living cells by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as a cellular carrier, as performed by natural ricin B chain protein (RTB). The conjugate of the toxinprotein RTA and MWNT was found to translocate to the cytoplasm of various cell lines and performed biological functions, as evidenced by the induction of cell death. The delivery of RTA into the cells viananotube carriers was directly visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy. About three times higher cell death rates for L-929, HL7702, MCF-7, HeLa and COS-7 cells were demonstrated induced by MWNT–RTA conjugates, compared to those achieved by RTA alone. Especially for HeLa cells, the cell mortality reached ∼75%. In addition, obvious selective destruction of cancer cells was achieved by coupling MWNTs–RTA–HER2, which selectively recognize the HER2/neu receptor on certain breast cancer cells. This is the first example of recombined proteintoxin (RTA)-induced targeting destruction for tumor cells viacarbon nanotube molecular transporters. The transporting capabilities of carbon nanotubes combined with functional proteins may open exciting new venues for drug delivery and cancer therapy.

Graphical abstract: Carbon nanotubes as a proteintoxin transporter for selective HER2-positive breast cancer cell destruction

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Apr 2009
Accepted
05 Jun 2009
First published
07 Jul 2009

Mol. BioSyst., 2009,5, 1224-1231

Carbon nanotubes as a proteintoxin transporter for selective HER2-positive breast cancer cell destruction

X. Weng, M. Wang, J. Ge, S. Yu, B. Liu, J. Zhong and J. Kong, Mol. BioSyst., 2009, 5, 1224 DOI: 10.1039/B906948H

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