Author:
Lifshits Lucia Adriana,Breuer Yoav,Sova Marina,Gupta Sumit,Kadosh Dar,Weinberg Evgeny,Hayouka Zvi,Bar Daniel Z.,Gal Maayan
Abstract
AbstractCell-penetrating peptides show promise as versatile tools for intracellular delivery of therapeutic agents. Various peptides have originated from natural proteins with antimicrobial activity. We investigated the mammalian cell-penetrating properties of a 16-residue peptide with the sequence GRCRGFRRRCFCTTHC from the C-terminus tail of the Medicago truncatula defensin MtDef4. We evaluated the peptide’s ability to penetrate multiple cell types. Our results demonstrate that the peptide efficiently penetrates mammalian cells within minutes and at a micromolar concentration. Moreover, upon N-terminal fusion to the fluorescent protein GFP, the peptide efficiently delivers GFP into the cells. Despite its remarkable cellular permeability, the peptide has only a minor effect on cellular viability, making it a promising candidate for developing a cell-penetrating peptide with potential therapeutic applications.
Funder
ADAMA Center for novel delivery systems
Gertner Institute for the Medical Nano System
Bountica Ltd
Israeli Science Foundation
Lefcoe oral biology research fund
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC