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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.07.19.549672

Harnessing Gradients for Self-Assembly of Peptide-Based Nanocapsules: A Pathway to Advanced Drug Delivery Systems

Li, H.·Qian, X.·Mohanram, H.·Han, X.·Qi, H.·Zou, G.·Yuan, F.·Miserez, A. G. T.·Yang, Q.·Liu, T.·Gao, H.·Yu, J.
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Abstract

Biological systems often create materials with intricate structures to achieve specialized functions. In comparison, precise control of structures in man-made materials has been challenging. Here, we report a serendipitous discovery of insect cuticle peptides (ICPs) spontaneously forming nanocapsules through a single-step solvent exchange process, where the concentration gradient resulting from mixing of water and aceton drives the localization and self-assembly of the peptides into hollow nanocapsules. The underlying driving force is the intrinsic affinity of the peptides for a particular solvent concentration, while the diffusion of water and acetone creates a gradient interface that triggers peptide localization and self-assembly. This gradient-mediated self-assembly offers a transformative pathway towards next-generation drug delivery systems based on peptide nanocapsules.

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Li, H., Qian, X., Mohanram, H., Han, X., Qi, H., Zou, G., Yuan, F., Miserez, A. G. T., Yang, Q., Liu, T., Gao, H., Yu, J.. 2023-07-19. Harnessing Gradients for Self-Assembly of Peptide-Based Nanocapsules: A Pathway to Advanced Drug Delivery Systems. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.07.19.549672

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