Biomimetic Bacterial Capsule for Enhanced Aptamer Display and Cell Recognition

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cell Biology
• Immunotechnology

Background:

• Mammalian cell encapsulation is crucial for applications like diabetes treatment and 3D printing.
• Existing methods lack efficient surface display of functional molecules like aptamers for enhanced cell recognition.
• A biomimetic approach for stable aptamer display on cell surfaces is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel biomimetic bacterial capsule for displaying high-affinity aptamers on living cell surfaces.
• To enhance cell recognition capabilities, using natural killer (NK) cells as a model system.
• To evaluate the stability and efficacy of aptamer display via the novel coating method.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized an ultrathin alginate-polylysine coating for living cell surface functionalization.
• Displayed high-affinity aptamers on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells.
• Assessed aptamer display stability compared to cholesterol insertion.
• Evaluated the recognition and killing efficiency of coated NK cells against target cells.

Main Results:

• The alginate-polylysine coating successfully displayed aptamers on the NK cell surface.
• Aptamer half-life on the cell surface increased significantly from <1.5 hours to >20 hours.
• Coated NK cells demonstrated enhanced efficiency in recognizing and eliminating target cells.
• The coating-mediated aptamer display proved more stable than direct lipid bilayer insertion.

Conclusions:

• A novel and stable biomimetic bacterial capsule coating was developed for aptamer display on living cells.
• This method significantly enhances the stability and efficacy of cell surface-bound aptamers.
• The technique shows promise for improving cell recognition and therapeutic targeting, particularly for NK cell-based immunotherapies.