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Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Facile Preparation of Internally Self-assembled Lipid Particles Stabilized by Carbon Nanotubes
Published on: February 19, 2016
An ultra-stable redox-controlled self-assembling polypeptide nanotube for targeted imaging and therapy in cancer
Gitanjali Asampille1,2, Brijesh Kumar Verma3, Monalisa Swain1,2,4
1NMR Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India.
Abstract:
We introduce a self-assembling polypeptide-based nanotube system having the ability to specifically target cancer cells. The nanotubes target the cancer cell surface through integrin engagement with the help of multiple RGD units present along their surface. While the nanotubes are non-toxic towards cells in general, they can be loaded with suitable drugs to be released in a sustained manner in cancer cells. In addition, the nanotubes can be utilized for cellular imaging using any covalently tagged fluorescent dye. They are stable over a wide range of temperature due to intermolecular disulphide bonds formed during the self-assembly process. At the same time, presence of disulphide bonds provides a redox molecular switch for their degradation. Taken together this system provides a unique avenue for multimodal formulation in cancer therapy.
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