Enhancing the Cellular Delivery of Nanoparticles Using Lipo-Oligoarginine Peptides

Nanoparticles have great potential as nanotherapeutics, delivery vectors, and molecular imaging agents due to their flexible properties. Although intracellular and nuclear delivery of nanoparticles is desirable for therapeutic applications, it remains a challenge. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a powerful tool for the intracellular delivery of various cargoes. Here it is reported that functionalization of nanoparticles with a myristoylated oligoarginine CPP promotes cellular uptake without increased toxicity. It is evident that the myristoylated CPP is much more effective in transporting nanoparticles than the unmodified CPPs.