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Delivery of siRNA remains a major limitation to their clinical application, and several technologies have been proposed to improve their cellular uptake. We recently described a peptide-based nanoparticle system for efficient delivery of siRNA into primary cell lines: CADY. CADY is a secondary amphipathic peptide that forms stable complexes with siRNA and improves their cellular uptake independently of the endosomal pathway. In the present work, we have combined molecular modeling, spectroscopy, and membrane interaction approaches in order to gain further insight into CADY/siRNA particle mechanism of interaction with biological membrane. We demonstrate that CADY forms stable complexes with siRNA and binds phospholipids tightly, mainly through electrostatic interactions. Binding to siRNA or phospholipids triggers a conformational transition of CADY from an unfolded state to an alpha-helical structure, thereby stabilizing CADY/siRNA complexes and improving their interactions with cell membranes. Therefore, we propose that CADY cellular membrane interaction is driven by its structural polymorphism which enables stabilization of both electrostatic and hydrophobic contacts with surface membrane proteoglycan and phospholipids.

To identify rules for the design of efficient cell-penetrating peptides that deliver therapeutic agents into subcellular compartments, we compared the properties of two closely related primary amphipathic peptides that mainly differ by their conformational state. On the basis of a peptide Pbeta that is nonstructured in water and that promotes efficient cellular uptake of nucleic acids through noncovalent association, we have designed a peptide [Palpha] that is predicted to adopt a helical conformation. We show that [Pbeta] undergoes a lipid-induced conformational transition into a sheet structure, while [Palpha] remains helical. Penetration experiments show that both peptides can spontaneously insert into phospholipid membranes. Analysis of compression isotherms indicates that both peptides interact with phospholipids in the liquid expanded and liquid condensed states. AFM observations reveal that the peptides strongly disrupt the lipid organization of the monolayers and that the conformational state can influence the uptake by model membranes.

Recently, we described a new strategy for the delivery of proteins and peptides into mammalian cells, based on an amphipathic peptide of 21 residues, Pep-1, which was designed on the basis of a protein-interacting domain associated with a nuclear localization sequence and separated by a linker. This peptide carrier constitutes a powerful tool for the delivery of active proteins or peptides both in cultured cells and in vivo, without requiring any covalent coupling. We have examined the conformational states of Pep-1 in its free form and complexed with a cargo peptide and have investigated their ability to interact with phospholipids and the structural consequences of these interactions. From the conformational point of view, Pep-1 behaves significantly differently from other similarly designed cell-penetrating peptides. CD analysis revealed a transition from a nonstructured to a helical conformation upon increase of the concentration. Determination of the structure by NMR showed that in water, its alpha-helical domain extends from residues 4-13. CD and FTIR indicate that Pep-1 adopts a helical conformation in the presence of phospholipids. Adsorption measurements performed at the air-water interface are consistent with the helical form. Pep-1 does not undergo conformational changes upon formation of a particle with a cargo peptide. In contrast, we observe a partial conformational transition when the complex encounters phospholipids. We propose that the membrane crossing process involves formation of a transient transmembrane pore-like structure. Conformational change of Pep-1 is not associated with complexation with its cargo but is induced upon association with the cell membrane.