Supramolecular Nanomaterial Based on Redox-responsive Intracellular Assembly of Ferrocene-peptides Bioconjugates to Control Cell Fate

Abstract

Supramolecular nanomaterials have a critical role in the cell since they interact with cell components and regulate cellular functions in a biological system. Although the nanomaterial is considered a useful tool in biomedical applications, a low delivery efficiency due to protein corona and an immune response is the main challenge. To overcome the drawback, we present a new system to build supramolecular nanomaterials based on the redox-responsive intracellular assembly to control cell fate. Under redox-stimuli, ferrocene moiety exhibits reversible transformation, in which neutral/ hydrophobic ferrocene groups are converted to positive charged/ hydrophilic ferrocenium groups. Due to its redox-reversibility, the ferrocene-peptide conjugates have been used as attractive building blocks for self-assembly and supramolecular nanomaterials with various applications. Here, we propose the intracellular assembly of Fc-FF drives the construction of nanomaterial within the cancer cell, regulates the function of cell components, and controls cell fate. Redox states of ferrocene are turned on in the presence of overexpressed GSH, enabling redox-responsive intracellular assembly, and thus the system to construct nanomaterials operate in the tumor tissue selectively. Accordingly, this study provides a simple tool for building supramolecular nanomaterials in cell and a new possibility for intravenously injected water-soluble therapeutic drugs.