Switch the light on: Nanoparticles for protease sensing
The LBSA Division and the Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Structural Biology jointly published a paper recently in
Chemical Communications entitled:
Protease responsive nanoprobes with tethered fluorogenic peptidyl 3-arlycoumarin substrates
Katharina Welserab, Jakob Griljc, Eric Vautheyc, Jonathan W. Aylott*b and Weng C. Chan*a
a School of Pharmacy, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD
b School of Pharmacy, Boots Science Building, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD
c Départment de Chimie-physique, Université de Genève, 30 Quai Ernest Ansermet, Genève 4, Switzerland CH-1211
Lay summary:
Proteases, also known as protein destroyers, play a crucial role in the regulation of a vast number of biological processes. Besides being heavily involved in normal biological processes such as hormone activation and apoptosis, proteases are implicated in many diseases including Aids and cancer.
Early and fast detection of these protease associated diseases are of particular importance as it can significantly increase treatment efficiency.
This paper outlines first significant results of an ongoing collaborative project between two Divisions within the School of Pharmacy and a Swiss research group to develop nano-tools for the non-invasive detection of protease activity. These so-called Protease Responsive Nanoprobes are designed such that they are dark in the absence of the target protease and fluorescently activated when proteolysis takes place. The observed signal or light is due to a uniquely crafted coumarin dye that emits a green fluorescence. First in vitro test showed that a fast and noticeable increase in the fluorescence was observed in the presence of the target protease. These results are promising and further spur us to determine the general utility of our tunable bio-imaging agents in a cellular and in vivo context.
A nano-tool for the detection of proteases
Click on the title of the publication (above) to see the abstract and full details