Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.34, No.21, 1681-1686, 2013
Design and Preparation of Single-Chain Nanocarriers Mimicking Disordered Proteins for Combined Delivery of Dermal Bioactive Cargos
Inspired by the multifunctionality of vitamin D-binding protein and the multiple transient-binding behavior of some intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), a polymeric platform is designed, prepared, and characterized for combined delivery of dermal protective and anticancer bioactive cargos on the basis of artificial single-chain nano-objects mimicking IDPs. For the first time ever, simultaneous delivery of folic acid or vitamin B-9, and hinokitiol, a relevant natural bioactive compound that exhibits anticancer activity against human malignant melanoma cells, from these multidirectionally self-assembled unimolecular nanocarriers is illustrated.