Self-assembling Depsipeptides on Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens: A New Way to Create Programmable...

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing stable nanocarriers for biological applications is crucial.
• Existing methods face challenges with stability in diverse solvents and cargo loading.
• Hollow nanovesicles offer potential for targeted delivery and encapsulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel methodology for producing robust hollow nanovesicles.
• To demonstrate the self-assembly of natural depsipeptides with novel luminogens.
• To evaluate the nanovesicles' stability and capacity for carrying large molecules.

Main Methods:

• Bottom-up self-assembly of natural depsipeptide chains.
• Incorporation of aggregation-induced emission luminogens as structural components.
• Characterization of nanovesicle stability in aqueous and mixed solvent systems.
• Assessment of cargo loading capacity for physiological peptides.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced robust hollow nanovesicles stable in water and organic solvent mixtures.
• Demonstrated the dual function of luminogens as vesicle-forming agents and structural indicators.
• Confirmed the nanovesicles' ability to encapsulate and transport large molecules like peptides without structural degradation.
• Validated the nanovesicles' potential as programmable nanocarrier systems for intracellular delivery.

Conclusions:

• A new, stable class of hollow nanovesicles has been developed using natural peptides and AIE luminogens.
• These nanovesicles represent a promising platform for programmable nanoencapsulation and active transport within living cells.
• The findings offer a novel Trojan horse strategy for enhanced drug delivery and cellular manipulation.