Open AccessMembrane fusion and drug delivery with carbon nanotube porins
Author(s) -
Nga T. Ho,
Marc Siggel,
Karen V. Camacho,
Ramachandra M. Bhaskara,
Jacqueline M. Hicks,
YunChiao Yao,
Yuliang Zhang,
Jürgen Köfinger,
Gerhard Hummer,
Aleksandr Noy
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2016974118
Subject(s) - drug delivery , membrane , liposome , lipid bilayer fusion , vesicle , drug , cytoplasm , biophysics , targeted drug delivery , chemistry , carbon nanotube , drug carrier , nanotechnology , materials science , pharmacology , biochemistry , biology
Significance The plasma membrane protects cell content from the outer environment. Overcoming this obstacle and delivering drugs efficiently into cells still remain a major hurdle for modern pharmacology and medicine. We developed and demonstrated a simple nanomaterial platform—a dimer of small-diameter carbon nanotube porins (CNTPs)—which functions as a potent membrane fusogen. Molecular simulations revealed a distinct fusion mechanism. CNTP-studded vesicles loaded with a chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin, delivered the drug to cancer cells, killing a majority of them. Our work provides new opportunities for understanding membrane fusion mechanisms, designing synthetic fusogens, and developing simple and efficient drug carriers for delivery of therapeutics and vaccines.