Enhanced Molecular Imaging through a Versatile Peptide Nanofiber for Self-Assembly and Precise Recognition

Area of Science:

• Biomolecular Engineering
• Molecular Imaging
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Multivalent targeting enhances binding stability for molecular imaging and therapy.
• Self-assembling peptide nanostructures can increase ligand density for multivalent targeting.
• Balancing peptide self-assembly and molecular recognition is crucial but challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a targeting-peptide-based imaging probe system (TAP) for multivalent targeting of disease markers.
• To investigate the self-assembly properties of TAP and its specific binding to PD-L1-positive tumor cells.
• To assess the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of TAP in integrated cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

• Rational molecular design of the TAP system, incorporating signal, recognition, and assembly motifs.
• Utilizing self-assembly strategies to combine TAP with imaging probes.
• Evaluating the multivalent binding of TAP to PD-L1-positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo.

Main Results:

• The TAP system demonstrated specific multivalent binding to PD-L1-positive tumor cells.
• TAP probes showed enhanced accumulation at tumor sites compared to conventional strategies.
• The balance between peptide self-assembly and targeting recognition improved probe specificity and stability.

Conclusions:

• The TAP system offers an effective strategy for multivalent targeting, enhancing probe accumulation and stability.
• This approach provides a valuable tool for the diagnostic and therapeutic integration of tumors.
• Optimizing the balance between self-assembly and recognition is key to developing advanced molecular imaging and therapy probes.