Self‐assembled penetratin‐deferasirox micelles as potential carriers for hydrophobic drug delivery. Issue 6 (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Goswami, Dibakar; Vitorino, Hector Aguilar; Machini, M. Teresa; Espósito, Breno P.
• Is Part Of: Biopolymers. Volume 104:Issue 6(2015)
• Page Start: 712
• Page End: 719
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: penetratin -- cell‐penetrating peptides -- nanofibers -- curcumin -- neurodegeneration -- deferasirox -- iron; Biopolymers -- Periodicals; Peptides -- Periodicals; Spectrum analysis -- Periodicals; 572.33
• DOI: 10.1002/bip.22672
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3525

Abstract

ABSTRACT: There has been a growing interest in the use of micelles with nanofiber geometry as nanocarriers for hydrophobic drugs. Here we show that the conjugate of penetratin, a cell‐penetrating peptide (CPP) with blood‐brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and deferasirox (DFX), a hydrophobic iron chelator, self‐assembles to form micelles at a very low concentration (∼15 mg/L). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined, and the micelles were used for solubilizing curcumin, a hydrophobic anti‐neurodegenerative drug, for successful delivery across RBE4 cells, a BBB model. Transmission Electron Microscope images of the curcumin‐loaded micelles confirmed the formation of nanofibers. These results indicate the potential of CPP‐drug conjugates for use as nanocarriers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 104: 712–719, 2015.