Application research of a novel designed peptide as a potential carrier

While a great deal of research has focused on the application of full-sequence ionic complementary peptide, detection of the capability of half-sequence ionic complementary peptide such as drug carriers, is rarely reported. This paper presents that the half-sequence ionic complementary peptide P9 (AC-Pro- Ser-Phe-Asn-Phe-Lys-Phe-Glu-Pro-NH2) can successfully stabilize a model hydrophobic drug pyrene in the aqueous solution. Soybean lecithin vesicles were used to mimic plasma membranes. Fluorescence data show that the pyrene is presented in the crystalline form when stabilized by P9 solution, and molecularly migrated from its peptide encapsulations into the membrane bilayers when the suspension is mixed with lipidosome vesicles. Slower release was observed when thicker coating was applied onto pyrene, which could be to control the wall thickness coating the cargo, and consequently the release rate. The result indicated that P9, with half-sequence ionic complement, may serve as a hydrophobic compounds carrier.