mRNA transfection by a Xentry-protamine cell-penetrating peptide is enhanced by TLR antagonist E6446

The tetrapeptide core of the carrier peptide Xentry is cell-penetrating: novel activatable forms of Xentry

Here we describe a structure-function analysis of the cell-penetrating peptide Xentry derived from the X-protein of the hepatitis B virus. Remarkably, the tetrapeptide core LCLR retains the cell-penetrating ability of the parental peptide LCLRPVG, as either an L- or D-enantiomer. Substitution of the cysteine with leucine revealed that the cysteine is essential for activity. In contrast, the C-t...

Xentry, a new class of cell-penetrating peptide uniquely equipped for delivery of drugs

Here we describe an entirely new class of cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) represented by the short peptide Xentry (LCLRPVG) derived from an N-terminal region of the X-protein of the hepatitis B virus. Xentry permeates adherent cells using syndecan-4 as a portal for entry, and is uniquely restricted from entering syndecan-deficient, non-adherent cells, such as resting blood cells. Intravenous inj...

Membrane-mimetic nanocarriers formed by a dipalmitoylated cell-penetrating peptide.

A branched TAT cell-penetrating peptide as a novel delivery carrier for the efficient gene transfection

BACKGROUND Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) as one class of non-viral vectors, have been widely explored as a delivery tool due to their cell-penetrating capability with low cytotoxicity. However, CPPs have reported to have low gene transfection efficiency mainly due to the fact that DNA is larger than other biomolecules. On the other hand, the conventional linear CPPs are unstable for construc...

Photodynamic therapy by conjugation of cell-penetrating peptide with fluorochrome

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising alternative therapy that could be used as an adjunct to chemotherapy and surgery for cancer, and works by destroying tissue with visible light in the presence of a photosensitizer (PS) and oxygen. The PS should restrict tissue destruction only to the tumor and be activated by light of a specific wavelength; both of these properties are required. Arginin...